THE ATP ANALOG CONTAINING A METHYLENE GROUP IN-PLACE OF THE 5'-OXYGENSERVES AS A SUBSTRATE FOR BACTERIOPHAGE-T3 RNA-POLYMERASE

Transcription reactions catalyzed by bacteriophage T3 RNA polymerase a nd using CTP, GTP, UTP and an analogue of ATP containing a methylene g roup in place of the 5' oxygen yield RNA-like polymers. These products are degraded to the 5'-mononucleotides CMP, GMP, UMP, and the corresp onding analogue of AMP by exposure to snake venom phosphodiesterase. B y using appropriate DNA templates, a single residue of the AMP analogu e can be located at the site adjacent to the cleavage position in the substrate strand of a hammerhead ribozyme. The modified substrate stra nd is completely resistant to cleavage by the ribozyme's catalytic str and.