Target-dependent on/off switch increases ribozyme fidelity

Ribozymes, RNA molecules that catalyze the cleavage of RNA substrates, provide an interesting alternative to the RNA interference (RNAi) approach to gene inactivation, especially given the fact that RNAi seems to trigger an immunological response. Unfortunately, the limited substrate specificity of ribozymes is considered to be a significant hurdle in their development as molecular tools. Here, we report the molecular engineering of a ribozyme possessing a new biosensor module that switches the cleavage activity from ‘off’ (a ‘safety lock’) to ‘on’ solely in the presence of the appropriate RNA target substrate. Both proof-of-concept and the mechanism of action of this man-made riboswitch are demonstrated using hepatitis delta virus ribozymes that cleave RNA transcripts derived from the hepatitis B and C viruses. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a ribozyme bearing a target-dependent module that is activated by its RNA substrate, an arrangement which greatly diminishes non-specific effects. This new approach provides a highly specific and improved tool with significant potential for application in the fields of both functional genomics and gene therapy.