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Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers
Published on: August 20, 2014
Catalytic RNA nano-objects formed by self-assembly of group I ribozyme dimers serving as unit structures
Ryuji Kiyooka1, Junya Akagi1, Kumi Hidaka2
1Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Gofuku 3190, Toyama 930-8555, Japan.
Abstract:
Ribozymes with modular structures are attractive platforms for the construction of nanoscale RNA objects with biological functions. We designed group I ribozyme dimers as unit ribozyme dimers (Urds), which self-assembled to form their polymeric states and also oligomeric states with defined numbers of Urds. Assembly of Urds yielded catalytic ability of a pair of distinct ribozyme units to cleave two distinct substrates. The morphologies of the assembled ribozyme structures were observed directly by atomic force microscopy (AFM).
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