Chloroplast gene control: unlocking RNA thermometer mechanisms in photosynthetic systems

Trends Plant Sci. 2024 Feb 3:S1360-1385(24)00020-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2024.01.005. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

RNA thermometers offer straightforward, protein-independent methods to regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. In this context, Chung and colleagues have discovered a revolutionary RNA thermometer in the chloroplast genome of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. This will facilitate temperature-driven control of inducible transgene expression for biotechnology applications in plant and algal systems.

Keywords: chloroplast biotechnology; photosynthetic systems; synthetic RNA thermometers; transgene expression.