A novel ultrabright RNA-activated fluorophore, SALAD1, designed as an optimized molecular partner for the Mango II aptamer, offers enhanced RNA visualization inside living cells.
SALAD1 surpasses existing Mango II dye complexes in brightness and binding affinity, demonstrating approximately 3.5 times greater fluorescence intensity than current benchmarks in RNA imaging.
Through rational molecular design and high-throughput screening, SALAD1 was discovered utilizing structure-informed methods, resulting in subnanomolar affinity for Mango II.
The superior performance of SALAD1 was validated through high-resolution X-ray crystallography, revealing enhanced shape complementarity and unique bonding interactions within the RNA-ligand complex.
SALAD1's exceptional cell permeability and fluorescence properties enable efficient live-cell RNA imaging, offering a simplified experimental workflow and high signal-to-noise ratios.
Confocal microscopy experiments demonstrated SALAD1's ability to produce high-contrast images of target RNAs, facilitating the visualization of transient RNA structures and low-expression transcripts.
The development of SALAD1 through structure-informed design represents a significant methodological breakthrough, paving the way for tailored fluorogenic ligands in RNA chemical biology.
The interdisciplinary collaboration behind SALAD1's discovery underscores the merging of structural biology, chemistry, and imaging technologies to revolutionize RNA research.
SALAD1's implications extend beyond the Mango II aptamer system, offering a versatile toolkit for engineering fluorophores targeting diverse RNA motifs and functional classes.
This groundbreaking study sets a new standard for RNA imaging, enabling precise visualization of RNA dynamics and opening avenues for molecular diagnostics and therapeutic innovations.