Catalytic nucleic acids (proto-nucleozyme), and their use for detecting agents by catalytic activity of proto-nucleozyme with a co-factor forming a nucleozyme(ribozyme)

摘要

An isolated proto-nucleozyme, being a nucleic acid molecule or a complex of nucleic acid molecules, with essentially no catalytic activity but which can complex with a specific non-nucleic acid co-factor to form a nucleozyme possessing catalytic activity, the co-factor being a molecule or a moiety within the molecule. The proto-nucleozyme lacks a component essential for the catalytic activity of the nucleozyme, and the co-factor provides a component thereby converting the proto-nucleozyme into the nucleozyme. Further described is a method for detection of an agent using the proto-nucleozyme, and pharmaceutical composition.