Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40036878›Full record

ArticleNucleic acids research2025

Characterization of group I introns in generating circular RNAs as vaccines.

Kuo-Chieh Liao, Majid Eshaghi, Zebin Hong, Tzuen Yih Saw, Jian An Jovi Lim, Jian Han, Jong Ghut Ashley Aw, Kiat Yee Tan, Aixin Yap, Xiang Gao and 20 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nucleic acids research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

30 authors.

Kuo-Chieh LiaoGenome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138672, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-8766-4824
Majid EshaghiGenome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138672, Singapore.
Zebin HongInstitute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138673, Singapore.
Tzuen Yih SawGenome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138672, Singapore.
Jian An Jovi LimGenome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138672, Singapore.
Jian HanGenome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138672, Singapore.
Jong Ghut Ashley AwGenome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138672, Singapore.
Kiat Yee TanGenome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138672, Singapore.
Aixin YapGenome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138672, Singapore.
Xiang GaoGenome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138672, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-6742-3380
Youzhi Anthony ChengGenome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138672, Singapore.
Su Ying LimGenome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138672, Singapore.
You Zhi Nicholas CheangInfectious Diseases Translational Research Programme, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119077, Singapore.ORCID 0009-0000-4736-3827
Wilfried A A SaronProgram in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, 169857, Singapore.
Abhay P S RathoreProgram in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, 169857, Singapore.
Li ZhangBioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138668, Singapore.
Bhuvaneshwari ShunmuganathanDepartment of Microbiology & Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119077, Singapore.
Rashi GuptaAntibody Engineering Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, 119077, Singapore.
Siang Ling Isabelle TanNUH-Cambridge Immune Phenotyping Centre, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, 119077, Singapore.
Xinlei QianDepartment of Microbiology & Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119077, Singapore.
Kiren PurushotormanDepartment of Microbiology & Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119077, Singapore.
Nagavidya SubramaniamA*STAR Skin Research Labs and Skin Research Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Immunos, 138648, Singapore.
Leah A VardyA*STAR Skin Research Labs and Skin Research Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Immunos, 138648, Singapore.
Paul A MacaryDepartment of Microbiology & Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119077, Singapore.
Ashley JohnProgram in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, 169857, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-5098-1044
Yi Yan YangBioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138668, Singapore.
Sylvie AlonsoInfectious Diseases Translational Research Programme, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119077, Singapore.
Haiwei SongInstitute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138673, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-6398-9280
Roland G HuberBioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138671, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-5093-5988
Yue WanGenome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138672, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-2433-9637

Funding

A*STAR InvestigatorshipEMBO Young InvestigatorshipHHP IAF-PP H22J1a0050National Research Foundation of SingaporeNRF NRF-CRP27-2021-0003WellcomeWellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Circular RNAs are an increasingly important class of RNA molecules that can be engineered as RNA vaccines and therapeutics. Here, we screened eight different group I introns for their ability to circularize and delineated different features that are important for their function. First, we identified the Scytalidium dimidiatum group I intron as causing minimal innate immune activation inside cells, underscoring its potential to serve as an effective RNA vaccine without triggering unwanted reactogenicity. Additionally, mechanistic RNA structure analysis was used to identify the P9 domain as important for circularization, showing that swapping sequences can restore pairing to improve the circularization of poor circularizers. We also determined the diversity of sequence requirements for the exon 1 and exon 2 (E1 and E2) domains of different group I introns and engineered a S1 tag within the domains for positive purification of circular RNAs. In addition, this flexibility in E1 and E2 enables substitution with less immunostimulatory sequences to enhance protein production. Our work deepens the understanding of the properties of group I introns, expands the panel of introns that can be used, and improves the manufacturing process to generate circular RNAs for vaccines and therapeutics.

Indexed as

IntronsRNA, CircularAnimalsExonsHumansNucleic Acid ConformationRNARNARNA, Circular

Identifiers

PMID40036878
PMCPMC11879131

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.