title: Generation of a catalytic module on a self-folding RNA.
abstract: It is theoretically possible to obtain a catalytic site of an artificial ribozyme from a random sequence consisting of a limited numbers of nucleotides. However, this strategy has been inadequately explored. Here, we report an in vitro selection technique that exploits modular construction of a structurally constrained RNA to acquire a catalytic site for RNA ligation from a short random sequence. To practice the selection, a sequence of 30 nucleotides was located close to the putative reaction site in a derivative of a naturally occurring self-folding RNA whose crystal structure is known. RNAs whose activity depended on the starting three-dimensional structure were selected with 3'-5' ligation specificity, indicating that the strategy can be used to acquire a variety of catalytic sites and other functional RNA modules.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, 606-8502 Japan.
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Yoshiya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikawa
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jaeger
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
authors.forename: Tan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D020134:Catalytic Domain; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013768:Tetrahymena / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012313:RNA