Design of a self-regulating mRNA gene circuit

Abstract

Protein expression from mRNA in vivo is predominately controlled via regulatory feedback mechanisms that adjust the level of mRNA transcription. However, for positive sense single-stranded RNA viruses, protein expression is often controlled via secondary structural elements, such as internal ribosomal entry sites, that are encoded within the mRNA. The self-regulation of mRNA translation observed in this class of viruses suggests that it may be possible to design mRNAs that self-regulate their protein expression, enabling the creation of mRNAs for vaccines and other synthetic biology applications where protein levels in the cell can be tightly controlled without feedback to a transcriptional mechanism. As a proof of concept, I design a polycistronic mRNA based on bacteriophage MS2, where the upstream gene is capable of repressing synthesis of the downstream gene. Using a computational tool that simulates ribosome kinetics and the co-translational folding of the mRNA in response, I show that mutations to the mRNA can be identified which enhance the efficiency of the translation and the repression of the downstream gene. The results of this study open up the possibility of designing bespoke mRNA gene circuits in which the amount of protein synthesised in cells are self-regulated for therapeutic or antigenic purposes.