RNAeining

RNAeining is a hypothetical biological process that proposes a mechanism for generating new RNA molecules with specific functions within a cell. The concept stems from the idea that RNA, beyond its well-established roles in protein synthesis and gene regulation, could also act as a template for its own synthesis or the synthesis of other RNA molecules. This self-replication or templated synthesis would be distinct from the DNA-templated transcription process observed in modern biology.

The theoretical basis for RNAeining suggests that certain RNA sequences could possess inherent catalytic activity, enabling them to bind to precursor nucleotides and assemble them into a complementary or identical RNA strand. This autocatalytic or heterocatalytic RNA activity could, in theory, lead to the amplification and diversification of RNA molecules. Such a process might have been crucial in the early stages of abiogenesis, the origin of life from non-living matter, where RNA is hypothesized to have played a central role as both genetic material and catalyst (the "RNA world" hypothesis).

While direct experimental evidence for RNAeining as a widespread or active process in contemporary organisms is limited, the concept informs research into the origins of life, ribozyme function, and the potential for novel RNA-based biotechnologies. Studies on RNA self-replication in vitro and the discovery of diverse ribozymes provide indirect support for the feasibility of RNA-templated synthesis under certain conditions. The term itself is a portmanteau of "RNA" and "reining," suggesting a control or direction of RNA synthesis.