MRNACalc: An accurate RNA quantification tool in the era of modified nucleosides

With the advent of COVID-19 vaccines, the utilization of messenger RNA (mRNA) has experienced a remarkable surge, driving the development of novel vaccines and therapeutics against a range of infectious and non-infectious diseases. The incorporation of modified nucleosides such as pseudouridine (J), N1-methylpseudouridine (m1 J), and 5-methylpseudoruridine (m5C) into
mRNA molecules has emerged as a strategy
to enhance their efficacy by reducing
cytoplasmic RNA sensor activation and
improving translation efficiency, a discovery
for which the Nobel prize was awarded to
Drew Weissmann and Katalin Karikó. However, the introduction of these modified
nucleotides has complicated the accurate
measurement of mRNA concentrations using ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometric
methods. In their recent work, Finol and
colleagues developed the mRNACalc web
server, a web-based tool for accurate quantification of RNA containing modified nucleosides.1 This tool enables the refinement of
RNA concentration measurements, thus
facilitating accurate dosing strategies essential for future clinical applications