Patent · US Expired

RNA Ribozyme which cleaves substrate RNA without formation of a convalent bond

US5354855A · kind A · utility

46Cited by
1References
1Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 28, 1992
Grant dateOct 11, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 28, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC12N2310/1241
  • WIPO fieldBiotechnology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

RNA enzymes or ribozymes can act as endoribonucleases, catalyzing the cleavage of RNA molecules with a sequence specificity of cleavage greater than that of known ribonucleases and approaching that of the DNA restriction endonucleases, thus serving as RNA sequence specific endoribonucleases. An example is a shortened form of the self-splicing ribosomal RNA intervening sequence of Tetrahymena (L-19 IVS RNA). Site-specific mutagenesis of the enzyme active site of the L-19 IVS RNA alters the substrate sequence specificity in a predictable manner, allowing a set of sequence-specific endoribonucleases to be synthesized. Varying conditions allow the ribozyme to act as a polymerase (nucleotidyltransferase), a dephosphorylase (acid phosphatase or phosphotransferase) or a sequence-specific endoribonuclease.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.