Editorial: Insights in RNA: 2025

Le résumé fourni par la source

RNA research is experiencing an unprecedented period of growth. Once regarded primarily as the intermediary between DNA and proteins, RNA is now recognized as a dynamic regulatory platform whose functions span virtually every level of biological organization, from a versatile regulator of gene expression to a key player in cellular identity, immunity, and disease. At the same time, advances in RNA engineering have established RNA molecules as powerful therapeutic agents, opening unprecedented opportunities for precision medicine. The articles collected in this Research Topic illustrate this exciting evolution of the field. Although They address diverse biological systems and diseases, together they spanning the continuum from fundamental concepts of RNA biology to its role and mechanistic studies in disease, as well as and the emerging landscape of RNA-based therapeutics., Together they highlighting both the extraordinary versatility of RNA and the challenges for its clinical translation.Conceptually, the collection ideally opens by placing RNA within the broadest possible biological framework. In their review, Flores-García et al. (Flores-García et al., 2026) revisit the RNA World hypothesis by proposing the concept of multiple "RNA worlds" that connect three complementary regimes: the "primordial RNA world", where RNA may have enabled the emergence of life through both information storage and catalysis; the "contemporary RNA world", in which RNA regulates gene expression and cellular functions; and the "applied RNA world", where RNA is engineered for biotechnology and medicine. The authors argue that these seemingly distinct fields share a common evolutionary principle: the relationship between RNA sequence, structure, and function under different environmental constraints. Understanding RNA through this unified framework not only advances origin-of-life research but also provides valuable design principles for RNA-based 37 diagnostics, synthetic biology. 38 A fundamental aspect of RNA is its intimate relationship with the immune system. Henschel et al. (Henschel et al., 2026) endogenous RNA networks (ceRNET). In particular, the review also highlights that this area of study 58has not yet been fully studied and that much remains to be elucidated and that functional validation 59 will be essential to determine impact of circRNA dysregulation on Down syndrome. 60Original research papers go on to provide examples of the function of small non-coding RNAs in the 61 regulation of disease-specific regulatory circuits. proteins that interact with RNA. The report by Geraci et al. (Geraci et al., 2026) examines RNA-protein 74 interaction address this aspect in Huntington's disease by demonstrating neuron-specific 75 overexpression of the RNA-binding protein MID1 in affected brains. Their work strengthens the 76 hypothesis that aberrant interactions between MID1 and mutant huntingtin mRNA may contribute to 77 disease progression. This further supports therapeutic strategies aimed at disrupting this pathogenic 78 RNA-protein complex. 79The power of transcriptomics as a discovery tool is illustrated by Zhao et al. (Zhao et 2026) The collection concludes appropriately with a comprehensive overview of RNA-based therapeutics by 87Makkar (Makkar, 2025). This review summarizes the impressive remarkable progress achieved across 88 multiple RNA platforms, including mRNA therapeutics, antisense oligonucleotides, small interfering 89RNAs, and RNA-editing technologies by CRISPR, while critically discussing the remaining challenges 90 related to delivery, immune activation, manufacturing, and regulatory implementation. Importantly, 91The author emphasizes that the future success of RNA medicine will depend not only on the 92 development of new molecular platforms but also on overcoming practical barriers that limit 93 widespread clinical applications. 94Taken together, the articles in this Research Topic capture the extraordinary breadth of contemporary 95 RNA research, providing both a snapshot of current advances and a glimpse of future directions. They 96 demonstrate that progress in the field increasingly depends on integrating fundamental discoveries in 97 RNA biology with mechanistic insights into disease and innovative therapeutic strategies. From the 98 origins of life to precision medicine, RNA research continues to redefine our understanding of 99 biological regulation while providing powerful tools to address unmet clinical needs. 100 110We deeply thank all the authors and reviewers who contributed to the Research Topic -both those 111 whose manuscripts were accepted and those whose submissions were rejected -as all of them played 112 a valuable role in fostering a stimulating and insightful discussion at the frontier of RNA research. We 113 also thank the Frontiers in Genetics-RNA team for their support throughout the work. 114 115

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