@article{LiaqatSednevStilleretal.2021,
  author    = {Liaqat, Anam and Sednev, Maksim V. and Stiller, Carina and H{\"o}bartner, Claudia},
  title     = {RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes differentiate methylated cytidine isomers in RNA},
  series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  volume    = {60},
  journal   = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  doi       = {10.1002/anie.202106517},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-256519},
  pages     = {19058-19062},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Deoxyribozymes are emerging as modification-specific endonucleases for the analysis of epigenetic RNA modifications. Here, we report RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes that differentially respond to the presence of natural methylated cytidines, 3-methylcytidine (m\(^3\)C), N\(^4\)-methylcytidine (m\(^4\)C), and 5-methylcytidine (m\(^5\)C), respectively. Using in vitro selection, we found several DNA catalysts, which are selectively activated by only one of the three cytidine isomers, and display 10- to 30-fold accelerated cleavage of their target m\(^3\)C-, m\(^4\)C- or m\(^5\)C-modified RNA. An additional deoxyribozyme is strongly inhibited by any of the three methylcytidines, but effectively cleaves unmodified RNA. The mXC-detecting deoxyribozymes are programmable for the interrogation of natural RNAs of interest, as demonstrated for human mitochondrial tRNAs containing known m\(^3\)C and m\(^5\)C sites. The results underline the potential of synthetic functional DNA to shape highly selective active sites.},
  language  = {en}
}