Properties of hammerhead-type RNA enzyme derivatives which contain a G-to-I replacement in the loop region

Three hammerhead-type ribozyme derivatives containing a G-to-I replacement in the loop regions were chemically synthesized and their properties were examined. All three complexes showed a markedly reduced RNA-cleaving activity. NMR studies suggested that the complex with mutation at the third guanosine of the longer internal loop region has the greatest influence on the conformation of the loop regions.