Double-stranded RNA is one of those stubborn byproducts that can quietly inflate downstream purification costs and compromise mRNA product quality. In this presentation, Patrik Engström, Principal Scientist at Primrose Bio, breaks down the molecular mechanisms behind dsRNA formation during in vitro transcription, including loopback dsRNA generation and abortive transcript priming on full-length RNA. The data shows that T7 RNA polymerase consistently produces significant dsRNA across varying DNA template concentrations, while a class of non-T7 enzymes generates remarkably little.
Watch the full video to understand the tradeoffs involved and how enzyme choice could reshape your IVT workflow.
Patrik Engström
Principal Scientist
Patrik Engström, PhD is a molecular biologist specializing in evolutionary and protein engineering approaches to optimize enzymes and RNA drug design. He develops research strategies, leads scientific teams, and advances RNA technologies, focusing his work on discoveries that reduce manufacturing costs and enable therapeutics.
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Related: Multidimensional RNA Polymerase Improvements via Evolution and Process Design, presented by Patrik Engström at AMM ASCENT 2026.
Questions about this presentation
What causes double-stranded RNA during IVT?
Two molecular mechanisms drive dsRNA formation in vitro transcription: loopback dsRNA generation, and abortive transcript priming on full-length RNA.
Does adjusting DNA template concentration solve it?
Not with T7. The data shows T7 RNA polymerase consistently produces significant dsRNA across varying DNA template concentrations, while a class of non-T7 enzymes generates remarkably little.
Why does dsRNA matter?
It is one of those stubborn byproducts that can quietly inflate downstream purification costs and compromise mRNA product quality.