Patent ID: 7148044
Filing Date: 2006-12-12
Classification: A61K,C12N

Abstract:
1. A nucleic acid enzyme capable of recognizing and cleaving a nucleic acid substrate, said nucleic acid enzyme which when bound to the substrate comprises: (i) a first nucleotide sequence 5′-G (ii) a second nucleotide sequence 5′-B wherein non-variable nucleotides having the same superscript form conventional Watson-Crick base pairs, except the two G 7 form a homopurine base pair; S 1 and S2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of G and C; B 1 and B 2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of G, C, U and T; K is selected from the group consisting of G, U and T; Y is selected from the group consisting of C, U and T; S 1 and S 2 form a conventional Watson-Crick base pair; Y and B 2 may form a conventional Watson-Crick base pair; B 1 and K may form a conventional Watson-Crick base pair; B 1 , K, Y and B 2 may together form a loop; N 1 N 2 N 3 N 4 N 5 N 6 N 7 forms a substrate binding region; N 1 , N 2 , N 3 , N 4 , N 5 and N 6 are each a nucleotide which may be the same or different; N 7 is U; N 7 is capable of forming a wobble pair with the substrate; N 1 , N 2 , N 3 , N 5 and N 6 are capable of forming conventional Watson-Crick base pairs with the substrate; and N 4 is capable of forming a non-conventional Watson-Crick base pair and a conventional Watson-Crick base pair.