Patent ID: 6214546
Filing Date: 2001-04-10
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
A method for detecting the presence of a catalytically active initiation ribozyme in a medium, comprising the steps of:(a) providing a catalytic system comprising catalytic system ribozymes which are catalytically inactive or spatially confined such that they cannot exert their catalytic activity on their target, the target of the catalytic system ribozymes being other catalytic system ribozymes,wherein the catalytic activity of the catalytic system ribozymes on said other catalytic system ribozymes cause either:(i) activation of inactive catalytic system ribozymes, or(ii) release of spatially confined catalytic system ribozymes to allow them to reach their targets,wherein at least some of the catalytic system ribozymes are a target of the catalytic activity of the initiation ribozyme, the catalytic activity of the initiation ribozyme on said some of the catalytic system ribozymes being that of (i) or (ii) above, andwherein the catalytic activity of the catalytic system ribozymes causes a change in the detectable properties of a detectable label;(b) contacting the medium with said catalytic system;(c) providing conditions permitting said catalytically active initiation ribozyme and catalytically active catalytic system ribozymes to exert their catalytic activity, whereby the presence of a catalytically active initiation ribozyme gives rise to a reaction cascade in which catalytic system ribozymes are activated or freed into the medium; and(d) detecting said detectable properties, a change in said properties being an indication of the presence of an active initiation ribozyme in said medium.