Detectrons convert transient RNA sequences into stable DNA barcodes for high-throughput analysis of RNA-dependent processes.

Detectrons convert transient RNA sequences into stable DNA barcodes, enabling high-throughput, multiplexed detection of RNA-dependent processes in living cells.

• Why it matters: Current RNA sensors rely on protein or RNA outputs, limiting their use in sequencing and multiplexed applications; stable DNA records could overcome these constraints.
• What they did: They engineered modular biosensors combining toehold switches with retron-mediated reverse transcription, creating a library and applying machine learning to optimize design, then tested in live bacterial populations.
• The result: Detectrons successfully detect specific phage infections and profile host susceptibility, offering a scalable platform for recording transcriptional events and screening in complex microbial communities.