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Structure of a 10-23 Deoxyribozyme Exhibiting a Homodimer Conformation
Evan Cramer1, Sarah Starcovic1, Rebekah Avey1
1West Virginia University.
Research Square
|July 3, 2023
Summary
The first crystal structure of the RNA-cleaving 10-23 deoxyribozyme (DNAzyme) reveals a homodimer conformation. This structure, while showing substrate coordination and magnesium ion binding, may not represent the enzyme
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Structural Biology
Background:
- Deoxyribozymes (DNAzymes) are DNA molecules engineered to catalyze chemical reactions.
- The 10-23 DNAzyme is a prominent RNA-cleaving DNAzyme with potential in biosensing and gene knockdown.
- Limited structural and mechanistic data have impeded the optimization of 10-23 DNAzyme applications.
Conclusions:
- The homodimer conformation observed in the crystal structure may not represent the active catalytic state of the 10-23 DNAzyme.
- Further structural and mechanistic studies are needed to elucidate the true catalytic form.
- This structural information provides a foundation for understanding DNAzyme function and improving its applications.
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