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Ribozymes and Deoxyribozymes Switched by Oligonucleotides

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Abstract

This chapter explores the diverse strategies reported in recent years for using oligonucleotides to switch the catalytic activity of allosteric ribozymes and deoxyribozymes. The earliest allosteric ribozymes were rationally designed and in vitro selected to respond to a variety of small-molecule effectors. However, the possibility of using proteins or RNA or DNA sequences to control the activity of catalytic nucleic acids has always been particularly tantalizing given the potential biomedical utility of such reagents, particularly within living systems. This article reviews the remarkable variety of approaches that have been used to generate ribozymes and deoxyribozymes that can be switched on (and, occasionally, off) by specific RNA or DNA oligonucleotides.

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Correspondence to Dipankar Sen .

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© 2006 Landes Bioscience and Springer Science+Busines Media

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Sen, D., Leung, E.K.Y. (2006). Ribozymes and Deoxyribozymes Switched by Oligonucleotides. In: Nucleic Acid Switches and Sensors. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-47257-7_2

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