A light-inducible RNA base editor for precise gene expression

AdminUncategorized2 months ago21 Views

  • Research Briefing
  • Published:

Nature Biotechnology

(2025)Cite this article

Subjects

A lack of broadly applicable methods to precisely control therapeutic gene expression is a key challenge for gene therapies. We present a technology that offers a photoactivatable RNA base editor for tunable and reversible regulation of gene expression, with implications for improving the safety and efficacy of gene therapy.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 12 print issues and online access

195,33 € per year

only 16,28 € per issue

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: Optogenetic therapy for hemophilia B using PA-rABE.

References

  1. Booth, B. J. et al. RNA editing: expanding the potential of RNA therapeutics. Mol. Ther. 31, 1533–1549 (2023). A review article that summarizes the emerging field of therapeutic RNA editing and discusses key challenges in clinical development.

    CAS 
    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar
     

  2. Teixeira, A. P. & Fussenegger, M. Synthetic gene circuits for regulation of next-generation cell-based therapeutics. Adv. Sci. 11, 1–24 (2024). A review article that presents examples of engineered genetic circuits applied to cell-based therapeutics.


    Google Scholar
     

  3. Song, J., Zhuang, Y. & Yi, C. Programmable RNA base editing via targeted modifications. Nat. Chem. Biol. 20, 277–290 (2024). A review article that summarizes some emerging RNA editors and discusses their limitations, opportunities and future directions.

    CAS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar
     

  4. Yu, J. et al. Programmable RNA base editing with photoactivatable CRISPR-Cas13. Nat. Commun. 15, 1–14 (2024). This paper reports a light-inducible RNA base editor that employs a photoactivatable split dCas13b in conjugation with intact ADAR2dd variant.


    Google Scholar
     

  5. Stroppel, A. S., Lappalainen, R. & Stafforst, T. Controlling site-directed RNA editing by chemically induced dimerization. Chemistry 27, 12300–12304 (2021). This paper reports a chemically inducible RNA base editor named the gibberellic acid (GA3)-induced SNAP-ADAR system.

    CAS 
    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar
     

  6. Anadón, C. et al. Gene amplification-associated overexpression of the RNA editing enzyme ADAR1 enhances human lung tumorigenesis. Oncogene 35, 4407–4413 (2016). This paper reports the carcinogenic risk of overexpressing ADAR proteins.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar
     

Download references

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This is a summary of: Li, H. et al. Engineering a photoactivatable A-to-I RNA base editor for gene therapy in vivo. Nat. Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-025-02610-2 (2025).

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

A light-inducible RNA base editor for precise gene expression.
Nat Biotechnol (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-025-02621-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-025-02621-z

Read More

0 Votes: 0 Upvotes, 0 Downvotes (0 Points)

Leave a reply

Recent Comments

No comments to show.

Stay Informed With the Latest & Most Important News

I consent to receive newsletter via email. For further information, please review our Privacy Policy

Advertisement

Loading Next Post...
Follow
Sign In/Sign Up Sidebar Search Trending 0 Cart
Popular Now
Loading

Signing-in 3 seconds...

Signing-up 3 seconds...

Cart
Cart updating

ShopYour cart is currently is empty. You could visit our shop and start shopping.