Photocontrol of site-selective RNA scission.
Novel photoresponsive systems for site-selective RNA scission have been prepared by combining metal ions with DNA bearing an azobenzene adjacent to an acridine. The modified DNA forms a heteroduplex with the substrate RNA, and selectively activates the phosphodiester linkages in front of the acridine, only when the azobenzene is isomerized into cis form by UV irradiation. Trans-azobenzene, on the other hand, effectively suppresses the reaction. As a result, 1.7-2.4-fold acceleration of the cleavage was achieved only with 3 min UV irradiation.
Tanaka
Keita
K
Research Center for Advanced Science and Techonology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8904 Japan.
Yamamoto
Yoji
Y
Kuzuya
Akinori
A
Komiyama
Makoto
M
D000166:Acridines / Q000737:chemistry; D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D007536:Isomerism; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
D000166:Acridines; D001391:Azo Compounds; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; C009850:azobenzene