DNAzyme Nanoparticles for the Cleavage of RNA

Application

Site-selective RNA splicing nanozyme for cleaving and ligating RNA.

Key Benefits

• Can cleave virtually any RNA stem loop.
• Removes a 19 nucleotide segment from a 67 nucleotide RNA loop with up to 66% efficiency.

Technical Summary

Modulating RNA can be useful for studying RNA biology, gene knockdown, and regulating RNA splicing. Scientists at Emory University have developed a new DNAzyme nanoparticle for cleaving and ligating RNA. This technology encompasses a composite nanoparticle designed to cleave and ligate RNA targets. The composite NP is comprised of 4 pieces: a gold nanoparticle, two 10-23 DNAzymes that cut pre-mRNA at a certain purine/pyrimidine junction, and an RNA ligase that pastes RNA fragments back together.

Developmental Stage

Technology is available for license.

Publication: Petree, J. R. et al. (2018). ACS Chem. Biol, 13(1), 215-224.