Selective Cleavage of the HIV-1 TAR-RNA with a Peptide-Cyclen Conjugate

Covalent linkage of the arginine-rich fragment of the Tat protein to 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (cyclen) results in the selective cleavage of the TAR-RNA of HIV-1 (see picture; the biotin at the 5' end acts as a label for the subsequent analysis of the cleavage fragments). The cleavage occurs at room temperature and is diminished when Eu(III) ions are present-at a concentration of about 1/10 of the concentration of the peptide-cyclen conjugate. The pH dependence indicates that two ammonium ions are responsible for the cleavage reaction. The white arrows in the schematic diagram mark the cleavage sites in RNase T1, and the black arrows the sites in the peptide-cyclen conjugate.