Binary Hammerhead Ribozymes with High Cleavage Activity

Abstract

Binary hammerhead ribozymes consisted of two oligoribonucleotides capable of assembling into hammerhead structure (without loop II) on the RNA target were engineered. Catalytic activities of such ribozymes were investigated in comparison with their full‐length analog and ribozyme where two strands were jointed by non‐nucleotidic linker. Binary constructs were shown to be significantly more active than the parent full‐length hammerhead ribozyme.

Keywords:

• RNA cleavage
• Hammerhead ribozyme
• Binary ribozyme
• Jointed ribozyme
• Oligoethylene glycol linker

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Russian State Program “Gene Targeted Biologically Active Compounds as Antiviral and Anticancer Drugs,” SB RAS Integration Program (grant No. 50), CRDF (grant No. REC‐008‐X1), and RFBR (grants No. 02‐04‐48586 and 03‐04‐06089‐mas).