Project on High Spatiotemporal-Resolution Monitoring and Regulation of RNA in Living Cells

Recently, the 2025 Shanghai Science and Technology Conference and the 2025 Shanghai Science and Technology Awards Ceremony was held. As the first completing institution, ECUST received commendations for 17 achievements, including 9 first prizes, 6 second prizes, 1 Youth Science and Technology Outstanding Contribution Award, and 1 International Science and Technology Cooperation Award.

Dynamic monitoring and precise spatiotemporal control of RNA in living cells were powerful tools for investigating RNA functions, while developing such technologies remains a major scientific challenge. Focusing on key scientific problems such as high-affinity recognition of fluorophores and highly sensitive protein structure sensing, the project produced the following main scientific discoveries.

First, high-performance multicolor fluorescent RNAs. The field lacked simple, efficient tools for live-cell RNA labeling, so the project innovated dye molecule design and co-directed molecular evolution, obtaining bright, stable, multicolor Pepper fluorescent RNAs for in situ real-time imaging of various RNAs in living cells.

Second, photo-controlled gene expression systems. The project developed innovative principles for photo-activating protein functions and efficient single-component photo-controlled transcription factors, establishing simple, stable photo-controlled gene expression systems for precise spatiotemporal control of gene transcription and expression in cells and living animals.

Third, photo-controlled RNA metabolism regulation systems. The project developed the world's first artificial photo-controlled RNA-binding protein and built on it a series of photo-controlled RNA effectors, achieving precise spatiotemporal control of RNA splicing, localization, translation, and degradation in living cells.

RNA is extensively involved in various life activities and is closely associated with the onset and progression of multiple diseases. The high‑spatiotemporal‑resolution monitoring and manipulation methods for RNA in living cells developed by this project can not only provide practical innovative tools for exploring RNA functions and mechanisms, but also be widely applied in fields such as live‑cell and in‑vivo biosensing as well as point‑of‑care diagnosis.