The development of RNA self-assemblies offers a powerful platform for a wide range of biomedical applications. The fabrication process has become more elaborate in order to achieve functional structures with maximized potential. As a facile means to control the structure, here, we report a new approach to manipulate the polymerization rate and subsequent self-assembly process through regulation of the reaction viscosity. As the RNA polymerization rate has a dependence on solution viscosity, the resulting assembly, crystallization, and overall sizes of the product could be manipulated. The simple and precise control of RNA polymerization and self-assembly by reaction viscosity will provide a way to widen the utility of RNA-based materials.
Keywords: RNA microstructures; RNA self-assemblies; crystallization; reaction control; viscosity.