Advertisement

Sugars spice up RNA

GlycoRNAs may help control immune reactions

single stranded RNA
NOBEASTSOFIERCE/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Sugar molecules bound to RNA may be playing a new—and as-yet-unknown—role in controlling immune reactions, The Scientist reports. The molecules, called glycans, were already known to bind to proteins and lipids, where they help control chemical signaling between cells (particularly immune signaling) when the sugar-tagged molecules migrate to the cell surface. But as Science reported in 2019, researchers found that glycans could also bind to strands of RNA, which normally translate genetic information into proteins and catalyze chemical reactions. The new finding, reported yesterday in Cell, suggests glycoRNAs also migrate to cell surfaces, where they may be involved in cell-to-cell communication.

Support nonprofit science journalism

Help News from Science publish trustworthy, high-impact stories about research and the people who shape it. Please make a tax-deductible gift today.

Donate

Not Now

Thank you for reading News fromScience.

You have reached your limit of 3 free news stories in the past 30 days.

To gain unlimited access to News fromScience, pleaseLog inor subscribe to News from Science.

AAAS Members canLog infor unlimited access.

$2.99/Month$25/YearFrequently Asked Questions