1999
Deoxyribozymes: New players in the ancient game of biocatalysis
Li Y, Breaker R. Deoxyribozymes: New players in the ancient game of biocatalysis. Current Opinion In Structural Biology 1999, 9: 315-323. PMID: 10361095, DOI: 10.1016/s0959-440x(99)80042-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSubstrate recognitionGenetic informationIdeal storage systemBiological catalysisRNA counterpartsInert characterChemical reactionsDNANovel chemicalRate enhancementSubstantial untapped potentialNew playersArtificial DNAHelical structurePolynucleotide chainSurprising varietyDeoxyribozymesRecent studiesStructure formationProteinCatalysisBiocatalysisStorage systemReactionChemicalsKinetics of RNA Degradation by Specific Base Catalysis of Transesterification Involving the 2‘-Hydroxyl Group
Li Y, Breaker R. Kinetics of RNA Degradation by Specific Base Catalysis of Transesterification Involving the 2‘-Hydroxyl Group. Journal Of The American Chemical Society 1999, 121: 5364-5372. DOI: 10.1021/ja990592p.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSpecific base catalysisBase catalysisHydroxyl groupsRNA phosphodiesterRate enhancementMaximum rate enhancementGeneral base catalysisEnzyme mimicsAlkaline pH conditionsHydroxide ionTransfer reactionsReaction conditionsCatalysisBase-catalyzed cleavageDivalent magnesiumRNA polymersDNA/RNARNA linkageTransesterification reactionPH conditionsCleavage mechanismStrand scissionRNA transesterificationBiological systemsDominant pathway
1998
An amino acid as a cofactor for a catalytic polynucleotide
Roth A, Breaker R. An amino acid as a cofactor for a catalytic polynucleotide. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 1998, 95: 6027-6031. PMID: 9600911, PMCID: PMC27579, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.95.11.6027.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAmino acidsRate enhancementDramatic rate enhancementMetal ion cofactorsAbsence of enzymeGeneral base catalystSuperior polymerChemical catalysisBiological catalystsRNA cleavage reactionCatalytic potentialOrganic cofactorImidazole groupsNatural ribozymesRNA worldBase catalystChemical groupsCatalytic mechanismCatalytic DNACleavage reactionIon cofactorProtein enzymesStructural foldingSubstrate cleavageConstituent amino acids
1996
In vitro selection of self-cleaving DNAs
Carmi N, Shultz L, Breaker R. In vitro selection of self-cleaving DNAs. Cell Chemical Biology 1996, 3: 1039-1046. PMID: 9000012, DOI: 10.1016/s1074-5521(96)90170-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIndividual catalystsCatalytic DNAEnzyme-like activityChemical transformationsSole cofactorRate enhancementAdditional reactionsCu2DNA enzymeCatalystDNA cleavageBiological contextVitro SelectionUncatalyzed rateOxidative mechanismsDNAFurther optimizationDistinct classesRibozymeHydroxylDeoxyribozymesBiocatalystReactionCleavageCofactor