the structural diversity of deoxyribozymesdeoxyribozymes的结构多样性.pdfVIP

Molecules 2010, 15, 6269-6284; doi:10.3390/molecule OPEN ACCESS molecules ISSN 1420-3049 /journal/molecules Review The Structural Diversity of Deoxyribozymes Simon A. McManus 1 and Yingfu Li 1,2,* 1 Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada; E-Mail: mcmanusa@mcmaster.ca 2 Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: liying@mcmaster.ca; Tel.: + 1-905-528-9140 ext. 22462. Received: 30 June 2010; in revised form: 23 August 2010 / Accepted: 2 September 2010 / Published: 6 September 2010 Abstract: When not constrained to long double-helical arrangements, DNA is capable of forming structural arrangements that enable specific sequences to perform functions such as binding and catalysis under defined conditions. Through a process called in vitro selection, numerous catalytic DNAs, known as deoxyribozymes or DNAzymes, have been isolated. Many of these molecules have the potential to act as therapeutic agents and diagnostic tools. As such, a better understanding of the structural arrangements present in these functional DNAs will aid further efforts in the development and optimization of these useful molecules. Structural characterization of several deoxyribozymes through mutagenesis, in vitro re-selection,