T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP)

T7 RNA polymerase is a highly specific DNA-directed RNA polymerase derived from the T7 bacteriophage. It is a cornerstone of modern biotechnology, primarily utilized for the in vitro synthesis of RNA due to its exceptional selectivity for the T7 promoter sequence and high processivity (UniProt P00573; Borkotoky & Murali, 2018). In the pharmaceutical industry, it is the primary enzyme used in the manufacturing of mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics, including those for COVID-19 and various cancers (Sahin et al., 2014). While not a traditional target for drug inhibition in human pathology, it is a critical target for engineering in synthetic biology and gene therapy platforms to optimize RNA production and minimize immunogenic byproducts (Karikó et al., 2005). The enzyme's ability to generate large quantities of precise RNA transcripts makes it indispensable for bioprocessing, although the production of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) during transcription remains a significant therapeutic challenge due to its potential to trigger unwanted innate immune responses (Karikó et al., 2005).

Other names

Bacteriophage T7 RNA polymeraseDNA-directed RNA polymerase T7T7-RPT7 pol

Catalyzes DNA-directed RNA synthesis by specifically binding to the 17-bp T7 promoter sequence and processively adding ribonucleotides in the 5' to 3' direction.