In vitro selection of DNA-cleaving deoxyribozyme with site-specific thymidine excision activity

High-content tailoring strategy to improve the multifunctionality of functional nucleic acids

Functional nucleic acids (FNAs) have attracted increasing attention in recent years due to their diverse physiological functions. The understanding of their conformational recognition mechanisms has advanced through nucleic acid tailoring strategies and sequence optimization. With the development of the FNA tailoring techniques, they have become a methodological guide for nucleic acid repurposing. Therefore, it is necessary to systematize the relationship between FNA tailoring strategies and the development of nucleic acid multifunctionality. This review systematically categorizes eight types of FNA multifunctionality, and introduces the traditional FNA tailoring strategy from five aspects, including deletion, substitution, splitting, fusion and elongation. Based on the current state of FNA modification, a new generation of FNA tailoring strategy, called the high-content tailoring strategy, was unprecedentedly proposed to improve FNA multifunctionality. In addition, the multiple applications of rational tailoring-driven FNA performance enhancement in various fields were comprehensively summarized. The limitations and potential of FNA tailoring and repurposing in the future are also explored in this review. In summary, this review introduces a novel tailoring theory, systematically summarizes eight FNA performance enhancements, and provides a systematic overview of tailoring applications across all categories of FNAs. The high-content tailoring strategy is expected to expand the application scenarios of FNAs in biosensing, biomedicine and materials science, thus promoting the synergistic development of various fields.

DNAzyme-based ultrasensitive immunoassay: Recent advances and emerging trends

Immunoassay, as the most commonly used method for protein detection, is simple to operate and highly specific. Sensitivity improvement is always the thrust of immunoassays, especially for the detection of trace quantities. The emergence of artificial enzyme, i.e., DNAzyme, provides a novel approach to improve the detection sensitivity of immunoassay. Simultaneously, its advantages of simple synthesis and high stability enable low cost, broad applicability and long shelf life for immunoassay. In this review, we summarized the recent advances in DNAzyme-based immunoassay. First, we summarized the existing different DNAzymes based on their catalytic activities. Next, the common signal amplification strategies used for DNAzyme-based immunoassays were reviewed to cater to diverse detection requirements. Following, the wide applications in disease diagnosis, environmental monitoring and food safety were discussed. Finally, the current challenges and perspectives on the future development of DNAzyme-based immunoassays were also provided.

Activity-enhanced DNAzyme for design of label-free copper(II) biosensor

Metal ion-driven, DNA-cleaving DNAzymes are characterised by high selectivity and specificity. However, their use for metal ion sensing remains largely unexplored due to long reaction times and poor reaction yields relative to RNA-cleaving DNAzymes and other sensing strategies. Herein we present a study demonstrating a significant rate enhancement of a copper-selective DNA cleaving DNAzyme by both polydopamine (PDA) and gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs). PDA NPs enhance the reaction through the production of hydrogen peroxide, while for AuNPs the enhancement is aided by the presence of citrate surface moeities, both of which drive the oxidative cleavage of the substrate. A 50-fold enhancement for PDA NPs makes the combination of PDA and DNAzyme suitable for a practical application as a sensitive biosensor for Cu(II) ions. Using DNAzyme deposition onto a gold electrode followed by Polydopamine Assisted DNA Immobilisation (PADI), we achieve a cost-effective, label-free and fast (within 15 min) electrochemical biosensor with a limit of detection of 180 nmol (11 ppm), thus opening a route for the rational design of a new generation of hybrid DNAzyme-based biosensors.

Structure of a 10-23 deoxyribozyme exhibiting a homodimer conformation

Deoxyribozymes (DNAzymes) are in vitro evolved DNA sequences capable of catalyzing chemical reactions. The RNA-cleaving 10-23 DNAzyme was the first DNAzyme to be evolved and possesses clinical and biotechnical applications as a biosensor and a knockdown agent. DNAzymes do not require the recruitment of other components to cleave RNA and can turnover, thus they have a distinct advantage over other knockdown methods (siRNA, CRISPR, morpholinos). Despite this, a lack of structural and mechanistic information has hindered the optimization and application of the 10-23 DNAzyme. Here, we report a 2.7 Å crystal structure of the RNA-cleaving 10-23 DNAzyme in a homodimer conformation. Although proper coordination of the DNAzyme to substrate is observed along with intriguing patterns of bound magnesium ions, the dimer conformation likely does not capture the true catalytic form of the 10-23 DNAzyme.

Structure of a 10-23 Deoxyribozyme Exhibiting a Homodimer Conformation

Deoxyribozymes (DNAzymes) are in vitro evolved DNA sequences capable of catalyzing chemical reactions. The RNA cleaving 10-23 DNAzyme was the first DNAzyme to be evolved and possesses clinical and biotechnical applications as a biosensor and a knockdown agent. DNAzymes do not require the recruitment of other components to cleave RNA and can turnover, thus they have a distinct advantage over other knockdown methods (siRNA, CRISPR, morpholinos). Despite this, a lack of structural and mechanistic information has hindered the optimization and application of the 10-23 DNAzyme. Here, we report a 2.7 Å crystal structure of the RNA cleaving 10-23 DNAzyme in a homodimer conformation. Although proper coordination of the DNAzyme to substrate is observed along with intriguing patterns of bound magnesium ions, the dimer conformation likely does not capture the true catalytic form of the 10-23 DNAzyme.

A single strand: A simplified approach to DNA origami

Just as a single polypeptide strand can self-fold into a complex 3D structure, a single strand of DNA can self-fold into DNA origami. Most DNA origami structures (i.e., the scaffold-staple and DNA tiling systems) utilize hundreds of short single-stranded DNA. As such, these structures come with challenges inherent to intermolecular construction. Many assembly challenges involving intermolecular interactions can be resolved if the origami structure is constructed from one DNA strand, where folding is not concentration dependent, the folded structure is more resistant to nuclease degradation, and the synthesis can be achieved at an industrial scale at a thousandth of the cost. This review discusses the design principles and considerations employed in single-stranded DNA origami and its potential benefits and drawbacks.

DNAzymeBuilder, a web application for in situ generation of RNA/DNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes

Nucleic acid cleaving DNAzymes are versatile and robust catalysts that outcompete ribozymes and protein enzymes in terms of chemical stability, affordability and ease to synthesize. In spite of their attractiveness, the choice of which DNAzyme should be used to cleave a given substrate is far from obvious, and requires expert knowledge as well as in-depth literature scrutiny. DNAzymeBuilder enables fast and automatic assembly of DNAzymes for the first time, superseding the manual design of DNAzymes. DNAzymeBuilder relies on an internal database with information on RNA and DNA cleaving DNAzymes, including the reaction conditions under which they best operate, their kinetic parameters, the type of cleavage reaction that is catalyzed, the specific sequence that is recognized by the DNAzyme, the cleavage site within this sequence, and special design features that might be necessary for optimal activity of the DNAzyme. Based on this information and the input sequence provided by the user, DNAzymeBuilder provides a list of DNAzymes to carry out the cleavage reaction and detailed information for each of them, including the expected yield, reaction products and optimal reaction conditions. DNAzymeBuilder is a resource to help researchers introduce DNAzymes in their day-to-day research, and is publicly available at https://iimcb.genesilico.pl/DNAzymeBuilder.

Visible light-driven i-motif-based DNAzymes

DNA foldings provide variant possibilities to develop DNAzymes with remarkable catalytic performance. In spite of fruitful reports on G-quadruplex DNAzymes, four-stranded cytosine-rich i-motifs have not been explored as the potential skeletons of DNAzymes. In this work, we developed a visible light-driven DNAzyme based on human telomeric i-motifs using a natural photosensitizer of hypericin (Hyp) as the cofactor and dissolved oxygen as the oxidant source. The i-motif folding in acidic solution caused the distal thymine overhangs at the 3' and 5' ends to approach each other to provide a favorable binding site for Hyp via an interaction of fully complementary hydrogen bonding. However, the i-motifs without the distal overhangs or with the inappropriate overhang length and the base identity exhibited no binding with Hyp. The binding event converted Hyp from the fully dark state to the emissive state under visible light illumination. Subsequently, the excited Hyp had an opportunity to transfer energy to dissolved oxygen. Resultantly, singlet oxygen (¹O₂) was generated to initiate the substrate oxidation. The catalytic performance of the DNAzyme can be improved using a long-lived mediator. Our developed i-motif-based DNAzyme can be driven by almost the whole range of visible lights, suggesting broad applications in the photocatalytic fields, for example, as an alternative strategy in developing biodevices.

PNA-Assisted DNAzymes to Cleave Double-Stranded DNA for Genetic Engineering with High Sequence Fidelity

DNAzymes have been widely used in many sensing and imaging applications but have rarely been used for genetic engineering since their discovery in 1994, because their substrate scope is mostly limited to single-stranded DNA or RNA, whereas genetic information is stored mostly in double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). To overcome this major limitation, we herein report peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-assisted double-stranded DNA nicking by DNAzymes (PANDA) as the first example to expand DNAzyme activity toward dsDNA. We show that PANDA is programmable in efficiently nicking or causing double strand breaks on target dsDNA, which mimics protein nucleases and can act as restriction enzymes in molecular cloning. In addition to being much smaller than protein enzymes, PANDA has a higher sequence fidelity compared with CRISPR/Cas under the condition we tested, demonstrating its potential as a novel alternative tool for genetic engineering and other biochemical applications.

Zn2+-dependent DNAzymes that cleave all combinations of ribonucleotides

Although several DNAzymes are known, their utility is limited by a narrow range of substrate specificity. Here, we report the isolation of two zinc-dependent DNAzymes, ZincDz1 and ZincDz2, which exhibit compact catalytic core sequences with highly versatile hydrolysis activity. They were selected through in vitro selection followed by deep sequencing analysis. Despite their sequence similarity, each DNAzyme showed different Zn²⁺-concentration and pH-dependent reaction profiles, and cleaved the target RNA sequences at different sites. Using various substrate RNA sequences, we found that the cleavage sequence specificity of ZincDz2 and its highly active mutant ZincDz2-v2 to be 5'-rN↓rNrPu-3'. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the designed ZincDz2 could cut microRNA miR-155 at three different sites. These DNAzymes could be useful in a broad range of applications in the fields of medicine and biotechnology.

Influence of monovalent metal ions on metal binding and catalytic activity of the 10-23 DNAzyme

Deoxyribozymes (DNAzymes) are single-stranded DNA molecules that catalyze a broad range of chemical reactions. The 10-23 DNAzyme catalyzes the cleavage of RNA strands and can be designed to cleave essentially any target RNA, which makes it particularly interesting for therapeutic and biosensing applications. The activity of this DNAzyme in vitro is considerably higher than in cells, which was suggested to be a result of the low intracellular concentration of bioavailable divalent cations. While the interaction of the 10-23 DNAzyme with divalent metal ions was studied extensively, the influence of monovalent metal ions on its activity remains poorly understood. Here, we characterize the influence of monovalent and divalent cations on the 10-23 DNAzyme utilizing functional and biophysical techniques. Our results show that Na⁺ and K⁺ affect the binding of divalent metal ions to the DNAzyme:RNA complex and considerably modulate the reaction rates of RNA cleavage. We observe an opposite effect of high levels of Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations on Mg²⁺- and Mn²⁺-induced reactions, revealing a different interplay of these metals in catalysis. Based on these findings, we propose a model for the interaction of metal ions with the DNAzyme:RNA complex.

Characterization of a DNA-hydrolyzing DNAzyme for generation of PCR strands of unequal length

I-R3 DNAzyme is a small, highly active catalytic DNA for DNA hydrolysis. In here, we designed two cis-structure DNAzymes (I-R3N and I-R3S) based on the different locates of the joint linker between I-R3 and its substrate. Data demonstrated that both DNAzymes were highly dependent on Zn²⁺, and worked at a narrow range around pH 7.0. They exhibited strong anti-interference with Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺, but inhibited by Na⁺ and K⁺. Moreover, single and multiple-site mutations were generated within the catalytic core to carry out a comprehensive mutational study of I-R3 motif, in which most nucleotides were highly conserved and the nucleotides A5, T11 and T8 were identified as the mutational hotspots. Furthermore, an efficient variant A5G was obtained and its reaction condition was optimized. Finally, we constructed A5G to the 3' end of a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and applied it for asymmetrical PCR amplification to produce a single and double-stranded DNA mixture, in which A5G within ssDNA can self-cleave to generate a shorter desired ssDNA by denaturing gel separation. This would provide a new non-chemical modification approach for preparation of the expected ssDNA for in vitro selection of DNAzymes.

Nucleic acid-cleaving catalytic DNA for sensing and therapeutics

DNAzymes with nucleic acid-cleaving catalytic activity are increasing in versatility through concerted efforts to discover new sequences with unique functions, and they are generating excitement in the sensing community as cheap, stable, amplifiable detection elements. This review provides a comprehensive list and detailed descriptions of the DNAzymes identified to date, classified by their associated small molecule or ion needed for catalysis; of note, this classification clarifies conserved regions of various DNAzymes that are not obvious in the literature. Furthermore, we detail the breadth of functionality of these DNA sequences as well as the range of reaction conditions under which they are useful. In addition, the utility of the DNAzymes in a variety of sensing and therapeutic applications is presented, detailing both their advantages and disadvantages.

Targeting a viral DNA sequence with a deoxyribozyme in a preparative scale

Deoxyribozymes are synthetic and single stranded DNAs that are capable of catalysis of a variety of reactions, including cleavage of DNA substrates. Deoxyribozymes are usually characterized by analytical single-turnover kinetic assays, however, for many applications e.g. characterization of the reaction products, semi-preparative and preparative reactions are required. At such scales, there is a lack of comprehensive analysis and conditions that supports high amount of products in an appropriate time-scale are vaguely guessed by researchers. In this report, catalytic activity of an oxidizing DNA-cleaving deoxyribozyme, F-8(X), was comprehensively inspected in semi-preparative (10 μM substrate) scale. A 60 nucleotides long synthetic DNA sequence was selected as the target DNA for this study. The DNA sequence was originated from a single stranded DNA virus. Investigations revealed high yield in the presence of optimal concentration of oxidizing agents. The optimal conditions have been applied for scale-up of the reaction to preparative (40 μM substrate) and multi-turnover reactions to achieve highest amount of product in a cost-, time- and labor-effective manner. Such a comprehensive analysis of a deoxyribozyme's activity in semi-preparative scale provides a platform for expanded applications of DNA catalysts as a tool in chemical biology.

An aptasensor for staphylococcus aureus based on nicking enzyme amplification reaction and rolling circle amplification

An ultra-sensitive aptamer-based biosensor for the detection of staphylococcus aureus was established by adopting the nicking enzyme amplification reaction (NEAR) and the rolling circle amplification (RCA) technologies. Aptamer-probe (AP), containing an aptamer and a probe sequence, was developed to act as the recognition unit of the biosensor, which was specifically bound to S. aureus. The probe was released from AP and initiated into the subsequent DNA amplification reactions where S. aureus was present, converting the detection of S. aureus to the investigation of probe oligonucleotide. The RCA amplification products contained a G-quadruplex motif and formed a three dimensional structure in presence of hemin. The G4/hemin complex showed horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-mimic activity and catalyzed the chemiluminescence reaction of luminol mediated by H₂O₂. The results showed that the established biosensor could detect S. aureus specifically with a good linear correlation at 5-10⁴ CFU/mL. The signal values based on NEAR-RCA two-step cycle were boosted acutely, much higher than that relied on one-cycle magnification. The limit of detection (LoD) was determined to be as low as 5 CFU/mL. The established aptasensor exhibited a good discrimination of living against dead S. aureus, and can be applied to detect S. aureus in the food industry.

Tetrahedral DNAzymes for enhanced intracellular gene-silencing activity

We prepared tetrahedral DNAzymes (TDzs) to overcome potential limitations such as insufficient serum stability and poor cellular uptake of single-stranded DNAzymes (ssDzs).

Selective tumor cell death induced by irradiated riboflavin through recognizing DNA G-T mismatch

Riboflavin (vitamin B2) has been thought to be a promising antitumoral agent in photodynamic therapy, though the further application of the method was limited by the unclear molecular mechanism. Our work reveals that riboflavin was able to recognize G–T mismatch specifically and induce single-strand breaks in duplex DNA targets efficiently under irradiation. In the presence of riboflavin, the photo-irradiation could induce the death of tumor cells that are defective in mismatch repair system selectively, highlighting the G–T mismatch as potential drug target for tumor cells. Moreover, riboflavin is a promising leading compound for further drug design due to its inherent specific recognition of the G–T mismatch.

New cofactors and inhibitors for a DNA-cleaving DNAzyme: superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide mediated an oxidative cleavage process

Herein, we investigated the effects of new cofactors and inhibitors on an oxidative cleavage of DNA catalysis, known as a pistol-like DNAzyme (PLDz), to discuss its catalytic mechanism. PLDz performed its catalytic activity in the presence of ascorbic acid (AA), in which Cu²⁺ promoted, whereas Fe²⁺ significantly inhibited the catalytic function. Since Fe²⁺/AA-generated hydroxyl radicals are efficient on DNA damage, implying that oxidative cleavage of PLDz had no relation with hydroxyl radical. Subsequently, we used Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ and Cu²⁺/H₂O₂ to identify the role of hydroxyl radicals in PLDz catalysis. Data showed that PLDz lost its activity with Fe²⁺/H₂O₂, but exhibited significant cleavage with Cu²⁺/H₂O₂. Because Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ and Cu²⁺/H₂O₂ are popular reagents to generate hydroxyl radicals and the latter also produces superoxide anions, we excluded the possibility that hydroxyl radical participated in oxidative cleavage and confirmed that superoxide anion was involved in PLDz catalysis. Moreover, pyrogallol, riboflavin and hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase with superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide generation also induced self-cleavage of PLDz, where catalase inhibited but superoxide dismutase promoted the catalysis, suggesting that hydrogen peroxide played an essential role in PLDz catalysis. Therefore, we proposed a catalytic mechanism of PLDz in which superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide mediated an oxidative cleavage process.

Theranostic DNAzymes

DNAzymes are catalytically active DNA molecules that are obtained via in vitro selection. RNA-cleaving DNAzymes have attracted significant attention for both therapeutic and diagnostic applications due to their excellent programmability, stability, and activity. They can be designed to cleave a specific mRNA to down-regulate gene expression. At the same time, DNAzymes can sense a broad range of analytes. By combining these two functions, theranostic DNAzymes are obtained. This review summarizes the progress of DNAzyme for theranostic applications. First, in vitro selection of DNAzymes is briefly introduced, and some representative DNAzymes related to biological applications are summarized. Then, the applications of DNAzyme for RNA cleaving are reviewed. DNAzymes have been used to cleave RNA for treating various diseases, such as viral infection, cancer, inflammation and atherosclerosis. Several formulations have entered clinical trials. Next, the use of DNAzymes for detecting metal ions, small molecules and nucleic acids related to disease diagnosis is summarized. Finally, the theranostic applications of DNAzyme are reviewed. The challenges to be addressed include poor DNAzyme activity under biological conditions, mRNA accessibility, delivery, and quantification of gene expression. Possible solutions to overcome these challenges are discussed, and future directions of the field are speculated.

DNA-Catalyzed DNA Cleavage by a Radical Pathway with Well-Defined Products

We describe an unprecedented DNA-catalyzed DNA cleavage process in which a radical-based reaction pathway cleanly results in excision of most atoms of a specific guanosine nucleoside. Two new deoxyribozymes (DNA enzymes) were identified by in vitro selection from N₄₀ or N₁₀₀ random pools initially seeking amide bond hydrolysis, although they both cleave simple single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides. Each deoxyribozyme generates both superoxide (O₂^-• or HOO^•) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and leads to the same set of products (3'-phosphoglycolate, 5'-phosphate, and base propenal) as formed by the natural product bleomycin, with product assignments by mass spectrometry and colorimetric assay. We infer the same mechanistic pathway, involving formation of the C4' radical of the guanosine nucleoside that is subsequently excised. Consistent with a radical pathway, glutathione fully suppresses catalysis. Conversely, adding either superoxide or H₂O₂ from the outset strongly enhances catalysis. The mechanism of generation and involvement of superoxide and H₂O₂ by the deoxyribozymes is not yet defined. The deoxyribozymes do not require redox-active metal ions and function with a combination of Zn²⁺ and Mg²⁺, although including Mn²⁺ increases the activity, and Mn²⁺ alone also supports catalysis. In contrast to all of these observations, unrelated DNA-catalyzed radical DNA cleavage reactions require redox-active metals and lead to mixtures of products. This study reports an intriguing example of a well-defined, DNA-catalyzed, radical reaction process that cleaves single-stranded DNA and requires only redox-inactive metal ions.

Catalytic DNA: Scope, Applications, and Biochemistry of Deoxyribozymes

The discovery of natural RNA enzymes (ribozymes) prompted the pursuit of artificial DNA enzymes (deoxyribozymes) by in vitro selection methods. A key motivation is the conceptual and practical advantages of DNA relative to proteins and RNA. Early studies focused on RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes, and more recent experiments have expanded the breadth of catalytic DNA to many other reactions. Including modified nucleotides has the potential to widen the scope of DNA enzymes even further. Practical applications of deoxyribozymes include their use as sensors for metal ions and small molecules. Structural studies of deoxyribozymes are only now beginning; mechanistic experiments will surely follow. Following the first report 21 years ago, the field of deoxyribozymes has promise for both fundamental and applied advances in chemistry, biology, and other disciplines.

An Ultrasensitive Light-up Cu(2+) Biosensor Using a New DNAzyme Cleaving a Phosphorothioate-Modified Substrate

Cu(2+) is a very important metal ion in biology, environmental science, and industry. Developing biosensors for Cu(2+) is a key topic in analytical chemistry. DNAzyme-based sensors are highly attractive for their excellent sensitivity, stability, and programmability. In the past decade, a few Cu(2+) biosensors were reported using DNAzymes with DNA cleavage or DNA ligation activity. However, they require unstable ascorbate or imidazole activation. So far, no RNA-cleaving DNAzymes specific for Cu(2+) are known. In this work, a phosphorothioate (PS) RNA-containing library was used for in vitro selection, and a few new Cu(2+)-specific RNA-cleaving DNAzymes were isolated. Among them, a DNAzyme named PSCu10 was studied further. It has only eight nucleotides in the enzyme loop with a cleavage rate of 0.1 min(-1) in the presence of 1 μM Cu(2+) at pH 6.0 (its optimal pH). Between the two diastereomers of the PS RNA chiral center, the R(p) isomer is 37 times more active than the S(p) one. Among the other divalent metal ions, only Hg(2+) can cleave the substrate due to its extremely high thiophilicity. A catalytic beacon sensor was designed with a detection limit of 1.6 nM Cu(2+) and extremely high selectivity. PSCu10 is specific for Cu(2+), and it has no cleavage in the presence of ascorbate, which reduces Cu(2+) to Cu(+).

Characterization of deoxyribozymes with site-specific oxidative cleavage activity against DNA obtained by in vitro selection

We have generated a new class of deoxyribozymes that required Mn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ to catalyze a site-specific oxidative cleavage of DNA.

DNA Catalysis: The Chemical Repertoire of DNAzymes

Deoxyribozymes or DNAzymes are single-stranded catalytic DNA molecules that are obtained by combinatorial in vitro selection methods. Initially conceived to function as gene silencing agents, the scope of DNAzymes has rapidly expanded into diverse fields, including biosensing, diagnostics, logic gate operations, and the development of novel synthetic and biological tools. In this review, an overview of all the different chemical reactions catalyzed by DNAzymes is given with an emphasis on RNA cleavage and the use of non-nucleosidic substrates. The use of modified nucleoside triphosphates (dN*TPs) to expand the chemical space to be explored in selection experiments and ultimately to generate DNAzymes with an expanded chemical repertoire is also highlighted.