Multicomponent nucleic acid enzymes and methods for their use

A method to determine whether a multi-component nucleic acid enzyme (MNAzyme) has catalytic activity, the method comprising:

• selecting a point between adjacent nucleotides of a nucleic acid enzyme catalytic core nucleotide sequence at which to split the catalytic core nucleotide sequence for generation of first and second partial catalytic core portions on opposing sides of the point;
• contacting a first component oligonucleotide comprising the first partial catalytic core portion between a substrate arm portion and a sensor arm portion, a second component oligonucleotide comprising the second partial catalytic core portion between a substrate arm portion and a sensor arm portion, an MNAzyme assembly facilitator, and a first substrate potentially capable of catalytic modification by the MNAzyme, under conditions permitting self-assembly of the MNAzyme and potential catalytic activity of the MNAzyme,
• wherein the first component oligonucleotide and the second component oligonucleotide self-assemble to form the MNAzyme upon hybridization of the MNAzyme assembly facilitator to the sensor arm portions of the first and second component oligonucleotides, thereby maintaining the first and second oligonucleotide components in proximity for association of their respective partial catalytic core portions to form the catalytic core of the MNAzyme, and allowing the substrate arm portions of the first and second component oligonucleotides to each hybridize with the substrate facilitating potential modification of the substrate by the catalytic core;
• and
• determining whether the MNAzyme catalytically modifies the substrate,
• wherein catalytic modification of the substrate indicates that the MNAzyme is catalytically active, and lack of catalytic modification of the substrate indicates that the MNAzyme is catalytically inactive.