Hairpin ribozymes
AssigneesThe Board of Regents for Northern Illinois University of DeKalb, Biotechnology Research and Development Corporation
InventorsArnold E. Hampel, Richard H. Tritz, Margaret F. Hicks
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Abstract
A synthetic RNA catalyst capable of cleaving an RNA substrate, the catalyst comprising a substrate binding portion and a "hairpin" portion. The invention also provides an engineered DNA molecule and a vector, each comprising a DNA sequence coding for an RNA catalyst according to the invention. The invention further comprises host cells transformed with the vectors of the invention which are capable of expressing the RNA catalyst. Finally, the invention provides a method of cleaving an RNA substrate which comprises contacting the substrate with a synthetic RNA catalyst according to the invention.
Claims12
A compound having an autocatalytic portion comprising the structure:
- ##STR7## wherein each N represents a ribonucleotide which may be the same or different;
- wherein each of (N).sub.F1, (N).sub.F2, (N).sub.F3 and (N).sub.F4 represents an oligonucleotide having a predetermined sequence which is capable of hybridizing with an RNA target sequence to be cleaved;
- wherein F2 represents an integer which defines the number of nucleotides in the oligonucleotide with the proviso that F3 is greater than or equal to 3;
- wherein F1 represents an integer which defines the number of nucleotides in the oligonucleotide with the proviso that F4 is from 3 to 5;
- wherein F3 represents an integer which defines the number of nucleotides in the oligonucleotide with the proviso that F3 is greater than or equal to 3;
- wherein F4 represents an integer which defines the number of nucleotides in the oligonucleotide with the proviso that F4 is from 3 to 5;
- wherein each of (N).sub.P1 and (N).sub.P4 represents an oligonucleotide having a predetermined sequence such that (N).sub.P4 base-pairs with 3-6 bases of (N).sub.P1 ;
- wherein P1 represents an integer which defines the number of nucleotides in the oligonucleotide with the proviso that P1 is from 3 to 6;
- wherein (N).sub.S1 represents an oligonucleotide having a predetermined sequence of 3-7 base-pairs such that (N).sub.S1 is substantially unpaired;
- wherein each of (N).sub.P2 and (N).sub.P3 represents an oligonucleotide having a predetermined sequence such that (N).sub.P2 base-pairs with at least 3 bases of (N).sub.P3 ;
- wherein each * represents base pairing between the nucleotides located on either side thereof;
- wherein each solid line represents a chemical linkage providing covalent bonds between the nucleotides located on either side thereof;
- wherein each of the dashed lines independently represents either a chemical linkage providing covalent bonds between the nucleotides located on either side thereof or the absence of any such chemical linkage;
- and
- wherein (N).sub.L2 represents an oligonucleotide with the proviso that L2 represents an integer which is greater than or equal to 3;
- wherein (N).sub.L3 represents an oligonucleotide;
- provided that (N).sub.F4 --AAGA--(N).sub.F3 -5' does not comprise ACUGAAGAGACAAA.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.