A small nucleolar RNA:ribozyme hybrid cleaves a nucleolar RNA target in vivo with near-perfect efficiency.
A hammerhead ribozyme has been localized to the yeast nucleolus by using the U3 small nucleolar RNA as a carrier. The hybrid small nucleolar RNA:ribozyme, designated a "snorbozyme," is metabolically stable and cleaves a target U3 RNA with nearly 100% efficiency in vivo. This is the most efficient in vivo cleavage reported for a trans-acting ribozyme. A key advantage of the model substrate featured is that a stable, trimmed cleavage product accumulates. This property allows accurate kinetic measurements of authentic cleavage in vivo. The system offers new avenues for developing effective ribozymes for research and therapeutic applications.
Samarsky
D A
DA
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
Ferbeyre
G
G
Bertrand
E
E
Singer
R H
RH
Cedergren
R
R
Fournier
M J
MJ
D001483:Base Sequence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012342:RNA, Small Nuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D012342:RNA, Small Nuclear