Cells Across the Tree of Life Exchange ‘Text Messages’ Using RNA | Quanta Magazine

A new study suggests that RNA may be a molecular lingua franca that transcends taxonomic boundaries and can encode messages that remain intelligible across the tree of life.

Transmitting information beyond the cell may be one of its innate roles, the study says.

The study was published in the journal Nature Biomedomedicitates .

Researchers have found that Haloferax microbes pack their vesicles with RNA while other archaeal species prefer DNA.

The message is more like a quick text message or email meant to communicate timely information than, say, runes etched in stone or a formal memo on letterhead.

Other researchers have demonstrated that cells across species, kingdoms and domains of life can send and receive remarkably pointed molecular missives.

Parasitic worms living in mouse intestines release RNA in EVs that shut down the host’s defensive immune proteins.

Bacteria that live symbiotically in the roots of legumes send RNA messages to promote nodulation.

Candida albicans has learned to twist a message from human EVs to its own advantage: It uses human RNA to promote its own growth.