Ligand-dependent regulatory RNA parts for Synthetic Biology in eukaryotes

Artificial regulatory RNAs have been attracting more and more interest over the past years. Their small size, combined with versatile applications, make them promising tools for designing complex eukaryotic gene networks. A variety of such regulatory RNA parts have been developed that are capable of efficiently controlling gene expression. A common basis for many of these genetic switches is the specific ligand binding to a RNA domain, followed by a conformational change. Depending on the surroundings, this can affect transcription, translation or even RNA interference (RNAi) efficacy. This article provides a concise summary of the main controllable RNA parts thus far developed for eukaryotic systems.