Biomedical subjects

S Nishikawa

Publications and source records attributed to S Nishikawa.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Vascular endothelial growth factor can substitute for macrophage colony-stimulating factor in the support of osteoclastic bone resorption.

We demonstrated previously that a single injection of recombinant human macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhM-CSF) is sufficient for osteoclast recruitment and survival in osteopetrotic (op/op) mice with a deficiency in osteoclasts resulting from a mutation in M-CSF gene. In this study, we show that a single injection of recombinant human vascular endothelial growth factor (rhVEGF) can similarly induce osteoclast recruitment in op/op mice. Osteoclasts predominantly expressed VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR-1), and activity of recombinant human placenta growth factor 1 on osteoclast recruitment was comparable to that of rhVEGF, showing that the VEGF signal is mediated through VEGFR-1. The rhM-CSF-induced osteoclasts died after injections of VEGFR-1/Fc chimeric protein, and its effect was abrogated by concomitant injections of rhM-CSF. Osteoclasts supported by rhM-CSF or endogenous VEGF showed no significant difference in the bone-resorbing activity. op/op mice undergo an age-related resolution of osteopetrosis accompanied by an increase in osteoclast number. Most of the osteoclasts disappeared after injections of anti-VEGF antibody, demonstrating that endogenously produced VEGF is responsible for the appearance of osteoclasts in the mutant mice. In addition, rhVEGF replaced rhM-CSF in the support of in vitro osteoclast differentiation. These results demonstrate that M-CSF and VEGF have overlapping functions in the support of osteoclastic bone resorption.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Detection of cerebroside sulfotransferase mRNA in human gastric mucosa and adenocarcinoma.

Sulfatide is a major acidic glycolipid in human gastric mucosa, and its sulfation is catalyzed by cerebroside sulfotransferase (CST). To investigate the expression of the CST gene in human gastric cancer, a reverse transcription PCR method was developed with the use of endoscopic bioptic specimens. By this method, we examined the CST mRNA expression in 11 cases of gastric cancer, and in all the cases we detected various levels of the expression both in cancer tissues and in uninvolved adjacent tissues. The present assay method was suggested to be useful in the detection of CST mRNA from a limited amount of bioptic samples.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1999

Intraperitoneal administration of anti-c-fms monoclonal antibody prevents initial events of atherogenesis but does not reduce the size of advanced lesions in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis results from complex inflammatory-fibroproliferative responses. To elucidate the central role of macrophage and macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) during atherogenesis, we used a new strategy to administer to adult apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient mice a monoclonal antibody (AFS98) raised against c-fms, the receptor of M-CSF. METHODS AND RESULTS: When 6-week-old apoE-deficient mice were fed a high-fat diet and injected with 2 mg of AFS98 intraperitoneally on alternate days for 6 weeks, accumulation of macrophage-derived foam cells in the aortic root was suppressed by 70% compared with that in controls. This preventive effect was associated with neither remarkable decrease of the number of circulating monocytes nor systemic growth retardation. In contrast, when apoE-deficient mice that had been fed a high-fat diet from 6 weeks of age were given AFS98 from 12 to 18 weeks of age, a minimal protective effect on lesion size was observed. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that (1) macrophage and M-CSF/c-fms play an essential role in the arterial wall during development of the fatty streak lesion and (2) blockade of the M-CSF/c-fms pathway could act as protection from at least early atherogenesis but could have a less preventive effect on maintenance of the advanced lesions.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Uncoupling of transfer of the presequence and unfolding of the mature domain in precursor translocation across the mitochondrial outer membrane.

Translocation of mitochondrial precursor proteins across the mitochondrial outer membrane is facilitated by the translocase of the outer membrane (TOM) complex. By using site-specific photocrosslinking, we have mapped interactions between TOM proteins and a mitochondrial precursor protein arrested at two distinct stages, stage A (accumulated at 0 degrees C) and stage B (accumulated at 30 degrees C), in the translocation across the outer membrane at high resolution not achieved previously. Although the stage A and stage B intermediates were assigned previously to the forms bound to the cis site and the trans site of the TOM complex, respectively, the results of crosslinking indicate that the presequence of the intermediates at both stage A and stage B is already on the trans side of the outer membrane. The mature domain is unfolded and bound to Tom40 at stage B whereas it remains folded at stage A. After dissociation from the TOM complex, translocation of the stage B intermediate, but not of the stage A intermediate, across the inner membrane was promoted by the intermembrane-space domain of Tom22. We propose a new model for protein translocation across the outer membrane, where translocation of the presequence and unfolding of the mature domain are not necessarily coupled.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1999

Appropriately spaced nuclear localizing signals are necessary for efficient nuclear import of nonnuclear proteins.

To deliver nonnuclear proteins into the nucleus, we have examined the locations and number of nuclear localizing signals by use of simian virus 40 large T-antigen (SV40Ta) and yeast enhanced green fluorescent protein (yEGFP) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system. When only one SV40Ta was added to either the N- or C-terminus of yEGFP, the fluorescence of yEGFP was detected in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. When two SV40Ta signals were added, one to the N-terminus and one to the C-terminus of yEGFP (SV40Ta-yEGFP-SV40Ta), the fluorescence of yEGFP was localized in only the nucleus. When the presequence of cytochrome oxidase subunit IV (pCOXIV) was inserted between the SV40Ta and the N-terminus of yEGFP (SV40Ta-pCOXIV-yEGFP-SV40Ta) in this construct, the fluorescence was located in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm, suggesting that the increased distance between the two SV40Ta signals decreased the efficiency of transport into the nucleus. When an additional SV40Ta signal was inserted between pCOXIV and yEGFP (SV40Ta-pCOXIV-SV40Ta-yEGFP), the fluorescence was localized only in the nucleus, indicating that two SV40Ta signals spaced by pCOXIV of 28 amino acid residues forming an alpha-helix are potent in transporting yEGFP into the nucleus. These results indicate that two SV40Ta signals spaced appropriately are essential for the efficient transport of the nonnuclear protein into the nucleus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1999

Development of peripheral lymphoid organs and natural killer cells depends on the helix-loop-helix inhibitor Id2.

Transcription factors with a basic helix-loop-helix (HLH) motif have been shown to be crucial for various cell differentiation processes during development of multicellular organisms. Id proteins inhibit the functions of these transcription factors in a dominant-negative manner by suppressing their heterodimerization partners through the HLH domains. Members of the Id family also promote cell proliferation, implying a role in the control of cell differentiation. Here we show that Id2 is indispensable for normal development of mice. Id2-/- mice lack lymph nodes and Peyer's patches. However, their splenic architecture is normal, exhibiting T-cell and B-cell compartments and distinct germinal centres. The cell population that produces lymphotoxins, essential factors for the development of secondary lymphoid organs, is barely detectable in the Id2-/- intestine. Furthermore, the null mutants show a greatly reduced population of natural killer (NK) cells, which is due to an intrinsic defect in NK-cell precursors. Our results indicate that Id2 has an essential role in the generation of peripheral lymphoid organs and NK cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Two distinct mechanisms operate in the reactivation of heat-denatured proteins by the mitochondrial Hsp70/Mdj1p/Yge1p chaperone system.

The yeast mitochondrial Hsp70, Ssc1p, functions as a molecular chaperone with its partner proteins, Mdj1p (DnaJ homologue) and Yge1p (GrpE homologue). We have purified a mature form of Ssc1p from yeast mitochondria and those of Mdj1p and Yge1p from Escherichia coli overexpresser cells. With these purified components of the mitochondrial Hsp70 chaperone system, we have succeeded in reconstituting their chaperone functions in the protection of firefly luciferase against thermal damage in vitro. Heat-denatured luciferase is prevented from irreversible aggregation and is maintained in a refolding-competent state by Ssc1p and/or Mdj1p at 42 degreesC. Luciferase denatured at 42 degreesC is actively reactivated by Ssc1p, Mdj1p and/or Yge1p after lowering the temperature to 25 degreesC. The reactivation process of heat-denatured luciferase shows two-phase kinetics. The slow refolding process requires either Ssc1p or Mdj1p at 42 degreesC but the presence of Ssc1p, Mdj1p and Yge1p, and ATP hydrolysis, is essential at 25 degreesC. The slow refolding of luciferase involves multiple rounds of formation and dissociation of the complex between luciferase and Mdj1p/Ssc1p. On the other hand, the fast refolding process is most enhanced when luciferase is incubated with Ssc1p alone at 42 degreesC, and it requires neither the assistance of Mdj1p and Yge1p nor ATP hydrolysis. We have observed a similar two-pathway reactivation of heat-denatured luciferase by the bacterial Hsp70 and the yeast cytosolic Hsp70 systems.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1999

Expression of alpha4-integrin defines the earliest precursor of hematopoietic cell lineage diverged from endothelial cells.

Embryonic stem cells can differentiate in vitro into hematopoietic cells through two intermediate stages; the first being FLK1(+) E-cadherin- proximal lateral mesoderm and the second being CD45(-) VE-cadherin+ endothelial cells. To further dissect the CD45(-) VE-cadherin+ cells, we have examined distribution of alpha4-integrin on this cell population, because alpha4-integrin is the molecule expressed on hematopoietic stem cells. During culture of FLK1(+) E-cadherin- cells, CD45(-) VE-cadherin+ alpha4-integrin- cells differentiate first, followed by alpha4-integrin+ cells appearing in both CD45(-) VE-cadherin+ and CD45(-) VE-cadherin- cell populations. In the CD45(-) VE-cadherin+ cell population, alpha4-integrin+ subset but not alpha4-integrin- subset had the potential to differentiate to hematopoietic lineage cells, whereas endothelial cell progenitors were present in both subsets. The CD45(-) VE-cadherin- alpha4-integrin+ cells also showed hematopoietic potential. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses showed that differential expression of the Gata2 and Myb genes correlated with the potential of the alpha4-integrin+ cells to give rise to hematopoietic cell differentiation. Hematopoietic CD45(-) VE-cadherin+ alpha4-integrin+ cells were also present in the yolk sac and embryonic body proper of 9.5 day postcoitum mouse embryos. Our results suggest that the expression of alpha4-integrin is a marker of the earliest precursor of hematopoietic cell lineage that was diverged from endothelial progenitors.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Maturation of embryonic stem cells into endothelial cells in an in vitro model of vasculogenesis.

A primitive vascular plexus is formed through coordinated regulation of differentiation, proliferation, migration, and cell-cell adhesion of endothelial cell (EC) progenitors. In this study, a culture system was devised to investigate the behavior of purified EC progenitors in vitro. Because Flk-1(+) cells derived from ES cells did not initially express other EC markers, they were sorted and used as EC progenitors. Their in vitro differentiation into ECs, via vascular endothelial-cadherin (VE-cadherin)+ platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1)+ CD34(-) to VE-cadherin+ PECAM-1(+) CD34(+) stage, occurred without exogenous factors, whereas their proliferation, particularly at low cell density, required OP9 feeder cells. On OP9 feeder layer, EC progenitors gave rise to sheet-like clusters of Flk-1(+) cells, with VE-cadherin concentrated at the cell-cell junction. The growth was suppressed by Flt-1-IgG1 chimeric protein and dependent on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) but not placenta growth factor (PIGF). Further addition of VEGF resulted in cell dispersion, indicating the role of VEGF in the migration of ECs as well as their proliferation. Cell-cell adhesion of ECs in this culture system was mediated by VE-cadherin. Thus, the culture system described here is useful in dissecting the cellular events of EC progenitors that occur during vasculogenesis and in investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1999

Detailed analysis of stem I and its 5' and 3' neighbor regions in the trans-acting HDV ribozyme.

To determine the stem I structure of the human hepatitis delta virus (HDV) ribozyme, which is related to the substrate sequence in the trans -acting system, we kinetically studied stem I length and sequences. Stem I extension from 7 to 8 or 9 bp caused a loss of activity and a low amount of active complex with 9 bp in the trans -acting system. In a previous report, we presented cleavage in a 6 bp stem I. The observed reaction rates indicate that the original 7 bp stem I is in the most favorable location for catalytic reaction among the possible 6-8 bp stems. To test base specificity, we replaced the original GC-rich sequence in stem I with AU-rich sequences containing six AU or UA base pairs with the natural +1G.U wobble base pair at the cleavage site. The cis -acting AU-rich molecules demonstrated similar catalytic activity to that of the wild-type. In trans -acting molecules, due to stem I instability, reaction efficiency strongly depended on the concentration of the ribozyme-substrate complex and reaction temperature. Multiple turnover was observed at 37 degreesC, strongly suggesting that stem I has no base specificity and more efficient activity can be expected under multiple turnover conditions by substituting several UA or AU base pairs into stem I. We also studied the substrate damaging sequences linked to both ends of stem I for its development in therapeutic applications and confirmed the functions of the unique structure.

Catalysis↗

PubMed1999

Changes of GABA metabolic enzymes in acute retinal ischemia.

It is reported that GABA accumulates in Müller cells in ischemic and diabetic rat retina. To investigate the mechanism of GABA accumulation in Müller cells, we localized GABA and glutamate in ischemic rat retina and measured the activity of GAD and GABA-T, enzymes involved in GABA metabolism. Using general anesthesia, we incised the bulbar conjunctiva of the rat around the limbus and clamped the left optic nerve. A sham operation was performed on the right eyes. Ocular ischemia was sustained for 30, 60 and 90 minutes. Rat eyes were enucleated immediately after ischemia and prepared for immunohistochemistry and enzyme activity measurement. Glutamate-like immunoreactivity (Glu-IR) in the sham-operated rat retina was observed in all retinal layers, showing intense staining in the nerve fiber layer (NFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), and inner plexiform layer (IPL). Glu-IR increased in the outer plexiform layer (OPL) and outer nuclear layer (ONL) in an ischemic time-dependent manner. GABA-like immunoreactivity (GABA-IR) in sham-operated rat retina was observed in NFL, GCL, IPL and inner nuclear layer (INL). When the ischemic time was extended, GABA-IR intensely stained Müller cells. GAD activity was not changed in ischemic rat retina as compared to normal rat retina, but GABA-T activity was significantly decreased in ischemic rat retina. These results suggested that glutamate was induced by ischemia and was converted to GABA by GAD activity. Increased GABA was not metabolized because GABA-T activity was decreased. GABA accumulation in Müller cells progressed during the change in activity of these metabolic enzymes.

4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase↗

PubMed1999

Internalization of amelogenin by dendritic cells of the papillary layer during transition and early maturation stages.

The existence of amelogenin in the papillary layer facing transition and early maturation zones of ameloblasts of rat incisors and the role of dendritic cells were examined by light microscopic immunocytochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy using anti-porcine 25 kDa amelogenin antibodies and anti-MHC class II antibodies. At the light microscopic level, no overall relationship was observed between anti-class II-positive dendritic cells and anti-amelogenin-positive materials located intercellularly: anti-amelogenin-positive dots were scattered in papillary layers and ameloblasts. Anti-MHC class II-positive cells were present in the papillary layer at the transition and maturation stages. Under electron microscopy, however, the dendritic cells occasionally endocytosed anti-amelogenin-positive materials and formed small vesicles. The results suggest that the dendritic cells play a role in eliminating amelogenin from the enamel organ.

Ameloblasts↗

PubMed1999

A high throughput assay of the hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 3 serine proteinase.

A simple assay was developed based on intramolecular fluorescence resonance energy transfer for detection of the activity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) serine proteinase. Two quenched-fluorogenic substrates, (7-methoxycoumarin-4-yl)acetyl (Mca) Asp-Asp-Ile-Val-Pro-Cys-Ser-Met-Ser-(2,4-dinitrophenyl, Dnp) Lys (Mca-Asp-Asp-Ile-Val-Pro-Cys-Ser-Met-Ser-Lys[Dnp], QF-1) and Mca-Asp-Asp-Ile-Val-Pro-Cys-Ser-Met-Lys(Dnp)-Arg-Arg (QF-2), which derived from the NS5A/5B junction of the HCV polyprotein, were designed. Kinetic studies revealed that QF-1 and QF-2 had high affinity for a recombinant enzyme which is a fusion protein of maltose binding protein and almost entire nonstructural protein (MBP-NS3), with Km values comparable to that of longer substrate based on the same cleavage site. QF-1 and QF-2 were cleaved by MBP-NS3 efficiently with kcat values of 7.5 and 4.2 min(-1), respectively. QF-2 was also found to be a good substrate of deltaNS3 which contained serine proteinase part of NS3 with kcat value of 4.3 min(-1). The cleavage reaction is detected continuously by the elevation of the fluorescence due to release from quenching. The fluorescence of the substrates increases in proportion to progress of the cleavage reaction under the standard conditions. This method was applied for screening of HCV serine protease inhibitors using a fluorescence multiwell plate reader. A group of natural occurring products, flavonoids, was subjected to be screened. Two flavonoids out of 25 were found to inhibit the enzyme moderately at a concentration of 100 microM. The data agreed with those obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This method is suited to sensitive quantitation of the enzyme reaction as well as the high throughput analysis of the inhibitors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1999

Specific interaction of fused H protein of bacteriophage phiX174 with receptor lipopolysaccharides.

The DNA fragment encoding the spike H protein of bacteriophage phiX174 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction. The fragment was sub-cloned into pQE-30 to yield pQE-H. The histidine-tagged H protein (HisH) was obtained from the cell extract of Escherichia coli M15 (pREP4) harboring pQE-H and purified by nickel chelating and anion-exchange chromatographies. HisH was shown to bind dose-dependently to the lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) isolated from phiX174-sensitive strains, E. coli C or Salmonella typhimurium TV119 (Ra mutant). In sharp contrast, HisH did not bind to the LPSs from insensitive strains, E. coli F583 (Rd2 mutant) or E. coli O111:B4 (smooth strain). Since the same selectivity was observed in the plaque counting assay for in vitro inactivation of phiX174, the spike H protein was shown to recognize receptor LPS.

Bacteriophage phi X 174↗

PubMed1999

Rhodobacter sphaeroides mutants which accumulate 5-aminolevulinic acid under aerobic and dark conditions.

The photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides accumulates 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), which is a precursor in tetrapyrrole biosynthesis, under light illumination and upon addition of levulinic acid as an inhibitor of ALA dehydratase. To generate an industrial strain which produces ALA in the absence of light, we sequentially mutated R. sphaeroides CR-286 using N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG). The mutant strains were screened by cultivating in the absence of light and assayed for ALA by the Ehrlich reaction in a 96-well microtiter plate. The mutant strain CR-386, derived from R. sphaeroides CR-286, was selected as a mutant that exhibited significant ALA accumulation. While CR-286 required light illumination for ALA production, CR-386 was able to accumulate 1.5 mM ALA in the presence of 50 mM glucose, 60 mM glycine, 15 mM levulinic acid and 1.0% (w/v) yeast extract under conditions of agitation in the absence of light. The mutant strain CR-450, derived from strain CR-386, was selected further as a mutant that exhibited significant ALA accumulation but no accumulation of aminoacetone, analogue of ALA. CR-450 accumulated 3.8 mM ALA under the same conditions. In the presence of 50 mM glucose, 60 mM glycine, 5 mM levulinic acid and 1.0% (w/v) yeast extract, the mutant strain CR-520, derived from strain CR-450, and strain CR-606, derived from strain CR-520, accumulated 8.1 mM and 11.2 mM ALA, respectively. In batch fermentation, the strain CR-606 accumulated 20 mM ALA over 18 h after the addition of glycine, levulinic acid, glucose and yeast extract.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1999

Characterization of Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6 genes involved in degradation of lignin-related compounds.

Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6 is able to grow on a wide variety of dimeric lignin compounds. These compounds are degraded via vanillate and syringate by a unique enzymatic system, composed of etherases, O demethylases, ring cleavage oxygenases and side chain cleaving enzymes. These unique and specific lignin modification enzymes are thought to be powerful tools for utilization of the most abundant aromatic biomass, lignin. Here, we focus on the genes and enzymes involved in beta-aryl ether cleavage and biphenyl degradation. Two unique etherases are involved in the reductive cleavage of beta-aryl ether. These two etherases have amino acid sequence similarity with the glutathione S-transferases, and use glutathione as a hydrogen donor. It was found that 5,5'-dehydrodivanillate, which is a typical lignin-related biphenyl structure, was transformed into 5-carboxyvanillate by the reaction sequence of O-demethylation, meta-ring cleavage, and hydrolysis, and the genes involved in the latter two reactions have been characterized. Vanillate and syringate are the most common intermediate metabolites in lignin catabolism. These compounds are initially O-demethylated and the resulting diol compounds, protocatechuate (PCA) and 3-O-methylgallate, respectively, are subjected to ring cleavage catalyzed by PCA 4,5-dioxygenase. The ring cleavage products generated are further degraded through the PCA 4,5-cleavage pathway. We have isolated and characterized genes for enzymes involved in this pathway. Disruption of a gene for 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylate hydrolase (ligI) in this pathway suggested that an alternative route for 3-O-methylgallate degradation, in which ligI is not involved, would play a role in syringate catabolism. In this article, we describe the genetic and biochemical features of the S. paucimobilis SYK-6 genes involved in degradation of lignin-related compounds. A possible application of the SYK-6 lignin degradation system to produce a valuable chemical material is also described.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1999

IL-7 receptor alpha+ CD3(-) cells in the embryonic intestine induces the organizing center of Peyer's patches.

Peyer's patch (PP) organogenesis proceeds through three histologically distinct steps: formation of organizing centers expressing VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 in segregated regions of the intestine at 15.5 days post-coitus (d.p.c.) (step I), accumulation of blood cells expressing different sets of surface markers to this region at 16.5-17.0 d.p.c. (step II), and entry of CD3+ and B220+ lymphocytes just before birth (step III). PP formation of both Il7ra-/- and Lta-/- mice is impaired from step I, suggesting involvement of the two molecules at the same timing in PP organogenesis. Expression of lymphotoxin (LT) alpha and LTbeta in IL-7 receptor (IL-7R) alpha+ cells in the intestine indicates that defects of Il7ra-/- and Lta-/- mice are due to functional inability of IL-7Ralpha+ cells in the induction of PP anlage. Blocking of IL-7Ralpha function by a single injection of the antagonistic mAb in 15.5 d.p.c. embryos suppressed appearance of VCAM-1(+) spots and expression of LTalpha and LTbeta in the intestine, which eventually resulted in mice without PP but are otherwise normal. Intestinal IL-7Ralpha+ cells are lymphoid in morphology but CD3(-) and functional in both nu/nu and Rag2-/- mice. These results implicate IL-7Ralpha+ CD3(-) cells as the direct inducer of the organizing center of PP.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Design and NMR analysis of HDV ribozymes for structural investigation.

Three variants of minimized hepatitis delta virus (HDV) RNA ribozyme systems (Rz-1 to approximately Rz-3) (Fig. 1) were designed on the basis of the "pseudoknot" structure model and synthesized. Rz-1 is a cis-acting ribozyme system (a cleaved form, 56-mer) in which stem IV is deleted from the active domain of genomic HDV RNA. Rz-1 was uniformly labeled with stable isotopes, 13C and 15N. The 2D-NOESY and 2D-HSQC data for Rz-1 suggest that Rz-1 forms the pseudoknot structure and G38 which is opposite to the cleavage site makes a base-pair. Rz-2 is a trans-acting ribozyme system which consists of three RNA oligomer strands (substrate: 8-mer, the cytidine residue at the cleavage site is replaced by 2'-O-methylcytidine; enzyme: 16-mer plus 35-mer). Rz-3 is a ribozyme in which the three RNA strands of Rz-2 are connected. It turns out that Rz-3 forms an inactive structure with low cleavage activity (k(obs) = 0.009) and final cleavage yield (6%). Rz-3 has the highest cleavage activity at pH 5.5. The optimal activity at acidic pH is similar to that of the wild type ribozyme. We also synthesized and examined the activity and structure of Rz-4 (designed by Perrotta and Been) which consists of two RNA strands (1).

Base Pairing↗