We just discovered a hidden 'control switch' on our RNA that was invisible to science until now.
April 17, 2026
Original Paper
Human PARPs Modify RNA Nucleobases In Vitro and in Cells
SSRN · 6584065
The Takeaway
For decades, we thought a process called 'ADP-ribosylation' only happened to proteins to change how they function. This study revealed that it actually happens directly to the 'letters' of our RNA, essentially adding a new layer of instructions to our genetic code. Even more wild is that the body has a specific 'eraser' enzyme (TARG1) to remove these marks, meaning this is a dynamic, living control system. This completely changes our understanding of how genes are regulated in real-time. It’s like finding out that the book of life isn't just written in ink, but has sticky notes all over the pages that tell the cell when to read and when to skip.
From the abstract
ADP-ribosylation is known as a protein modification, yet recent studies have expanded the range of ADP-ribosyltransferase (ART) substrates to include nucleic acids. tRNA 2′-phosphotransferase 1 (TRPT1) and several PARP family members can modify the 5′-phosphate of single-stranded RNA. Here, we show that PARP10 and PARP15 extend this activity beyond the 5′-phosphate terminus and generate N3-ADP-ribosyl uracil and N1-ADP-ribosyl guanine bases. The base-linked ADP-ribosylation is reversed selective