Expression systems for transcription of functional nucliec acid

Abstract

A ribozyme comprising the following base sequence (I) or (II): base sequence (I)(SEQ ID No. 1): 5′-ACCGUUGGUUUCCGUAGUGUAGUGGUUAUCACGUUCGCCUAACACGC GAAAGGUCCCCGGUUCGAAACCGGGCACUACAAACACAACACUGAUGAGG ACCGAAAGGUCCGAAACGGGCACGUCGGAAACGGUUUU[[U]]-3′ base sequence (II)(SEQ ID No. 2): 5′-ACCGUUGGUUUCCGUAGUGUAGUGGUUAUCACGUUCGCCUAACACGC GAAAGGUCCCCGGUUCGAAACCGGGCACUACAAACCAACACACAACACUG AUGAGGACCGAAAGGUCCGAAACGGGCACGUCGGAAACGGUUU U[[U]]-3′.

1 - 7 . (Cancelled.)  
     
     
         8 . An RNA variant adopting the following secondary structure (I), wherein said RNA variant comprises a bulge structure introduced in the region in which hydrogen bonds form between nucleotides 8 to 14 and nucleotides 73 to 79.  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         9 . The RNA variant according to  claim 8  comprising a bulge structure which is introduced by substituting all or part of the sequence of the region of nucleotides 73 to 79 within the nucleotide sequence of an RNA adopting secondary structure (I).  
     
     
         10 - 11 . (Cancelled.)  
     
     
         12 . An RNA comprising the RNA variant according  claim 8  and a selected RNA chain linked thereto.  
     
     
         13 . The RNA according to  claim 12  wherein said selected RNA chain is a ribozyme or an antisense RNA.  
     
     
         14 . The RNA according to  claim 12  wherein a bulge structure is formed with any nucleotide of an RNA chain linked to the 3′ terminus and any nucleotide of the region of nucleotides 8 to 14 within the nucleotide sequence of an RNA adopting secondary structure (I).  
     
     
         15 . An expression vector comprising DNA encoding the RNA variant of  claim 8.