CHEMICAL RIBONUCLEASES

A wide range of compounds capable of hydrolyzing RNA under mild condit ions are considered. Their effectiveness can be enhanced by coupling t hem to molecules affine to nucleic acids, such as intercalators and po lycations. Attachment of reactive groups to oligonucleotides complemen tary to segments of the target RNA not only allows the neighboring eff ect to be employed but also hydrolytically active groups to be directe d to the desired RNA sites. As hydrolytically active groups, the most widespread are metallocomplexes, oligopeptides, amines, and organic co nstructs containing reactive groups that usually are constituents of t he active centers of nucleases: imidazole, guanidinium, carboxyl, and amino groups. Design of compounds capable of effective catalytic cleav age of RNA under physiological conditions may enable one to develop co njugates of anti-sense oligonucleotides used in molecular-biological a nd biomedical studies.