Ribosome-based gene circuit lets cells read six signals and trigger responses
The molecular machinery that normally builds proteins inside cells has now taken on a new role as a "switch." A research team at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) has developed a new 'RNA-based smart gene circuit' platform that can simultaneously read multiple signals inside a cell, make its own decisions and autonomously generate programmed responses. This represents a step beyond simple genetic manipulation toward an era in which cells themselves function as "living computers."
The technology, named RATEX (Ribosome-Assisted Transcriptional EXpression controller), was developed by Prof. Jongmin Kim, Dr. Hansol Kang, and graduate students Hyunseop Goh and Chaeri Kim from the Department of Life Sciences at POSTECH. The results were recently published in the journal Angewandte Chemie.
Cells use genetic information to build proteins and elicit cellular responses in two major steps. First, the information encoded in DNA is copied into RNA in a process called "transcription." Then, that RNA is read to build proteins in a process called "translation." Synthetic RNA-based gene circuits have focused on control strategies at one or the other stage of signal processing, where signal sensing and processing were largely confined to a single level.
In reality, however, cells must integrate numerous molecular signals at multiple regulatory levels to make decisions, much like a vehicle at a complex intersection where multiple traffic lights flash simultaneously. Current genetic circuit designs have often faced challenges in handling this increased level of computational complexity.
Turning ribosomes into control switches
To address this bottleneck, the research team turned its attention to the ribosome, the molecular machine responsible for building proteins. Ribosomes normally read RNA and produce proteins, but they also respond to molecular signatures encoded within an RNA transcript. By co-opting and enhancing the signal-processing capability of the ribosome in combination with specific RNA motifs, the team engineered a system in which ribosomes "pause" at specific locations on a gene when certain conditions are met, which in turn determines whether gene expression proceeds.
In effect, the ribosome has been promoted from a mere production machine to a "switch." This architecture, in which the computational result at the translation stage immediately dictates whether transcription occurs, is termed Translation-to-Transcription Converter (TTC) and forms the basic building block for the RATEX platform. This design strategy enables the repurposing of an available library of synthetic translational logic switches to directly control the transcription process.
Handling more signals at once
This novel approach made it possible to overcome previous design limitations and dramatically improved scalability. The research team demonstrated gene regulatory capacity of up to 1,492-fold and implemented complex logic circuits capable of simultaneously processing up to six RNA signals. The team also created diverse hybrid logic circuits capable of simultaneously recognizing both RNA signals and metabolites such as amino acids and vitamins. Cells now possess advanced signal-processing capability, allowing them to "compute" multiple types of molecular information at once.
Beyond simple logical control of gene expression, the team combined the RATEX platform with CRISPR gene regulation and synthetic membraneless organelles, thereby altering cell morphology and reorganizing intracellular structures only when all specified conditions were satisfied. This flexibility in design further demonstrated that cells can be precisely "programmed."
From smart therapeutics to biosensors
This platform technology promises to provide a novel design paradigm for applications in diverse fields. For instance, RATEX could provide a framework to develop smart therapeutics that detect cancer-specific molecular signatures and produce treatment compounds in situ, and environmental biosensors that respond only upon encountering particular combinations of pollutants.
Prof. Kim stated, "The key contribution of this research is seamlessly integrating the sophisticated cellular decision-making at the translation stage for transcriptional control. The ability to integrate and process different types of signals—such as RNA and metabolites—within a single RNA transcript represents a new design paradigm to further scale up synthetic biological circuits."
Publication details
Hyunseop Goh et al, RATEX: A Scalable RNA‐Based Platform for Logical and Multi‐Layered Cellular Programming, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2026). DOI: 10.1002/anie.202520600
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Citation: Ribosome-based gene circuit lets cells read six signals and trigger responses (2026, July 11) retrieved 11 July 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-07-ribosome-based-gene-circuit-cells.html
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