On Jul. 13, 2026, In a study published in Nature Communications, Saurja DasGupta, a biochemist at the University of Notre Dame and colleagues present a key mechanism for sustaining RNA-based life: an engineered enzyme that selectively recognizes and repairs broken RNA.

“Our results suggest that the molecular tools needed to preserve the RNA-based genetic code and pass it on to future generations could have been furnished by RNA alone — no proteins required,” said DasGupta.

The RNA-based enzyme, or “ribozyme,” engineered by the researchers pastes together pieces of RNA and targets a distinguishing feature of broken RNA: a phosphate group — one phosphorous atom bonded to four oxygen atoms — at the end of the broken RNA chain. Intact strands of RNA, in contrast, terminate in a hydroxyl group — one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom.

The dual storage and catalysis capabilities of RNA are the basis of the RNA World hypothesis, which posits that the earliest forms of life on Earth that lived almost four billion years ago were powered exclusively by RNA. The hypothesis suggests that RNA molecules preceded DNA and proteins for encoding genes and facilitating cellular processes, respectively.

Beyond primordial biology, the significance of the newly-engineered ribozyme extends into the realm of biotechnology. Broken RNA is common in viral infections and is a sign of abnormal cell function in certain cancers. The standard RNA sequencing techniques used to analyze the genetic markers of these diseases, however, misses out on broken RNA, since the chemical tags that mark RNA strands for analysis are not designed to attach to broken ends.

Since the RNA-repair ribozyme is selective for broken RNA, it could be used to render cleaved strands “visible” by isolating them for special preparation prior to RNA sequencing. As a first step, DasGupta’s research group is in the process of optimizing the ribozyme’s reaction efficiency while broadening the range of potential molecular targets.

“What began as a quest for insight into the origins of RNA-based life and ended in an unanticipated finding has also provided a potential solution to a major challenge in biotechnology,” DasGupta said. “We’re excited to continue pursuing these new frontiers in ancient RNA biology and modern diagnostics.”