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A New Na + ‐Dependent RNA‐Cleaving DNAzyme with over 1000‐fold Rate Acceleration by Ethanol
Author(s) -
Zhou Wenhu,
Saran Runjhun,
Chen Qingyun,
Ding Jinsong,
Liu Juewen
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chembiochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.05
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1439-7633
pISSN - 1439-4227
DOI - 10.1002/cbic.201500603
Subject(s) - deoxyribozyme , fold (higher order function) , chemistry , ethanol , rna , biochemistry , dna , computer science , gene , programming language
Enzymes working in organic solvents are important for analytical chemistry, catalysis, and mechanistic studies. Although a few protein enzymes are highly active in organic solvents, little is known regarding nucleic acid‐based enzymes. Herein, we report the first RNA‐cleaving DNAzyme, named EtNa, that works optimally in concentrated organic solvents containing only monovalent Na + . The EtNa DNAzyme has a rate of 2.0 h −1 in 54 % ethanol (with 120 m m NaCl and no divalent metal ions), and a K d of 21 m m Na + . It retains activity even in 72 % ethanol as well as in DMSO. With 4 m m Na + , the rate in 54 % ethanol is >1000‐fold higher than that in water. We also demonstrated the use of EtNa to measuring the ethanol content in alcoholic drinks. In total, this DNAzyme has three unique features: divalent metal independent activity, Na + selectivity among monovalent metals, and acceleration by organic solvents.