Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41548876›Full record

ArticleNucleic acids research2026

Synthesis of long and functionally active RNAs facilitated by acetal levulinic ester chemistry.

Zidi Lyu, Adam Katolik, Iqra Yaseen, Adrain A Pater, Francis Robert, Sidong Huang, Keith T Gagnon, Peter J Unrau, Masad J Damha

Erratum issuedAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nucleic acids research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. IVT-free, chemically synthesized protein-encoding RNA oligonucleotides for rapid production of personalized cancer vaccines.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026
    Article
  4. Solid Phase Chemical Synthesis of RNA.Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Zidi LyuDepartment of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada.
Adam KatolikDepartment of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada.
Iqra YaseenDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
Adrain A PaterDepartment of Biochemistry, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, United States.
Francis RobertDepartment of Biochemistry, Rosaline & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada.
Sidong HuangDepartment of Biochemistry, Rosaline & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada.
Keith T GagnonDepartment of Biochemistry, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, United States.
Peter J UnrauDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-1392-6948
Masad J DamhaDepartment of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-4458-1623

Funding

McGill UniversityNatural Sciences and Engineering Council
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Recent advances in RNA-based therapeutics have created a demand for synthetic RNAs that are 100 nucleotides (nts) or longer. In this study, we present the use of 2'-acetal levulinic ester (2'-ALE) phosphoramidites for the synthesis of long RNAs that are at least 215 nts in length. We have developed protocols for rapid (2-4 min) and efficient coupling (>99%) of 2'-ALE monomers and established a rapid, on-column deprotection of RNA strands requiring short alkylamine treatments at room temperature. The results of these studies enabled the successful syntheses of sgRNAs (99 nt), sgRNA tagged with fluorogenic Mango II and Broccoli aptamers (130-170 nt), and 5'-capped minimal mRNAs (200-215 nt), each exhibiting robust functional activity in both cell-free and cellular systems. We also found that the incorporation of 2'-O-methyl-adenosine in the poly(A) tail of synthetic mRNAs markedly enhanced protein expression, highlighting the ALE platform's compatibility for systematic exploration of RNA chemical diversity. Collectively, these results establish 2'-ALE chemistry as a promising platform for the synthesis of long and functionally active RNAs.

Indexed as

AcetalsLevulinic AcidsOrganophosphorus CompoundsRNAAptamers, NucleotideEstersRNA, MessengerAcetalsAptamers, NucleotideEstersLevulinic AcidsOrganophosphorus CompoundsphosphoramiditeRNARNA, Messenger

Identifiers

PMID41548876
PMCPMC12812408

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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.