title: RNA enzymes as tools for gene ablation.
abstract: Ribozymes have the potential to ablate the expression of any gene in a sequence-specific manner and, therefore, may be useful as therapeutic molecules or as tools for the analysis of gene function. Although a number of reports have described ribozymes that are effective in inhibiting gene expression, few studies have attempted, systematically, to analyze the features of ribozymes that affect their potency within cells. Experimental observations suggest that emerging rules governing ribozyme potency in cells can be understood in terms of the competitive interactions between RNA-binding proteins, complementary RNAs and their internal secondary structure.
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: al-Shamkhani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015870:Gene Expression; D006678:HIV / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016325:HIV Long Terminal Repeat; D006801:Humans; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D018075:RNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D018075:RNA, Complementary; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012313:RNA