Nucleic Acid Switches and Sensors / Edition 1

by Scott K. Silverman

Overview

In this book, seven chapters describe studies aimed at understanding and exploiting the key features of such molecular RNA and DNA devices. In the first section of the book, four chapters are devoted to artificial nucleic acid switches and sensors. These chapters introduce the concept of allosteric ribozymes as molecular switches and sensors; describe nucleic acid enzymes that are switched by oligonucleotides and other nucleic acid enzymes that are switched by proteins; and illustrate how switching elements can be integrated ration-ally into fluorescently signaling molecular sensors made out of nucleic acids. In the second section of the book, three chapters show that nature has been as crafty a molecular-scale engineer as any modern scientist via evolution of natural nucleic acid switches and sensors. RNAs have been found whose activities are modulated either by proteins or by small-molecule metabolites, and both kinds of system are described. Finally, the notion of exploiting naturally occurring RNA switches for drug development is discussed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780387374918
Publisher:	Springer US
Publication date:	08/30/2006
Series:	Molecular Biology Intelligence Unit Series
Edition description:	2006
Pages:	125
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.02(d)

Table of Contents

Artificial Nucleic Acid Switches and Sensors.- Allosteric Ribozymes as Molecular Switches and Sensors.- Ribozymes and Deoxyribozymes Switched by Oligonucleotides.- Ribozymes Switched by Proteins.- Fluorescence-Signaling Nucleic Acid-Based Sensors.- Natural Nucleic Acid Switches and Sensors.- Protein-Induced RNA Switches in Nature.- Riboswitches as Genetic Control Elements.- Switchable RNA Motifs as Drug Targets.