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. 1995 Oct 25;23(20):4092–4096. doi: 10.1093/nar/23.20.4092

An oligodeoxyribonucleotide that supports catalytic activity in the hammerhead ribozyme domain.

P Chartrand 1, S C Harvey 1, G Ferbeyre 1, N Usman 1, R Cedergren 1
PMCID: PMC307348  PMID: 7479070

Abstract

A study of the activity of deoxyribonucleotide-substituted analogs of the hammerhead domain of RNA catalysis has led to the design of a 14mer oligomer composed entirely of deoxyribonucleotides that promotes the cleavage of an RNA substrate. Characterization of this reaction with sequence variants and mixed DNA/RNA oligomers shows that, although the all-deoxyribonucleotide oligomer is less efficient in catalysis, the DNA/substrate complex shares many of the properties of the all-RNA hammerhead domain such as multiple turnover kinetics and dependence on Mg2+ concentration. On the other hand, the values of kinetic parameters distinguish the DNA oligomer from the all-RNA oligomer. In addition, an analog of the oligomer having a single ribonucleotide in a strongly conserved position of the hammerhead domain is associated with more efficient catalysis than the all-RNA oligomer.

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Selected References

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