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Related Concept Videos

DNA Helicases00:55

DNA Helicases

DNA unwinding helicase enzymes are a type of motor protein. Motor proteins can translocate along filaments or polymers using energy generated from ATP hydrolysis. Helicases are involved in all the important cellular processes where DNA unwinding is required, such as DNA replication, repair, recombination, and transcription. They are present in all living organisms, but vary in their structure, function, and mechanism of action. For example, in prokaryotes, DnaB helicase binds and translocates...
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DNAzyme 10-23 - Based Nanomachines for Nucleic Acid Recognition
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Published on: February 9, 2024

Small, highly active DNAs that hydrolyze DNA.

Hongzhou Gu1, Kazuhiro Furukawa, Zasha Weinberg

  • 1Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.

Journal of the American Chemical Society
|May 18, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Scientists engineered deoxyribozymes that rapidly break down DNA. These DNA-cutting enzymes, active near neutral pH with zinc ions, highlight potential genomic instability risks from natural DNA sequences.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • DNA phosphoester bonds exhibit high resistance to hydrolysis without catalysts.
  • This stability is crucial for long-term genetic information storage in large genomes.
  • Genomic instability can arise from unintended DNA degradation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To engineer novel deoxyribozymes capable of selective and rapid DNA hydrolysis.
  • To analyze the catalytic efficiency and characteristics of engineered deoxyribozymes.
  • To investigate the potential for natural DNA sequences to undergo self-hydrolysis.

Main Methods:

  • Design and synthesis of two classes of deoxyribozymes.
  • Characterization of catalytic activity, including observed rate constants (k(obs)).
  • Incubation of deoxyribozymes under specific conditions (near neutral pH, presence of Zn(2+)).
  • Selection and analysis of natural DNA sequences under catalytic conditions.

Main Results:

  • Engineered class I deoxyribozymes achieved an observed rate constant (k(obs)) of approximately 1 min(-1).
  • Catalytic activity was observed near neutral pH in the presence of zinc ions (Zn(2+)).
  • Natural DNA sequences with consensus class I structure were found to hydrolyze under selection conditions (2 mM Zn(2+), pH 7).

Conclusions:

  • Engineered deoxyribozymes demonstrate efficient DNA hydrolysis.
  • The findings suggest that certain DNA sequence structures may possess inherent catalytic properties.
  • This inherent catalytic potential could contribute to genomic instability.