The integration of functional modules at the molecular level into RNA nanostructures holds great potential for expanding their applications. However, the quantitative integration of nucleoside analogue molecules into RNA nanostructures and their impact on the structure and function of RNA nanostructures remain largely unexplored. Here, we report a transcription-based approach to controllably integrate multiple nucleoside analogues into a 2000 nucleotide (nt) single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) origami nanostructure. The resulting integrated ssRNA origami preserves the morphology and biostability of the original ssRNA origami. Moreover, the integration of nucleoside analogues introduced new biomedical functions to ssRNA origamis, including innate immune recognition and regulation after the precise integration of epigenetic nucleoside analogues and synergistic effects on tumor cell killing after integration of therapeutic nucleoside analogues. This study provides a promising approach for the quantitative integration of functional nucleoside analogues into RNA nanostructures at the molecular level, thereby offering valuable insights for the development of multifunctional ssRNA origamis.
Keywords: Enhanced interferon chemotherapy; Epigenetic modification; Nucleic acid nanotechnology; Single-stranded RNA origami.