Ribonucleoprotein particles for cleaving double-stranded DNA and inserting an RNA/DNA molecule into the cleavage site

摘要

The present invention provides new methods, employing a nucleotide integrase, for cleaving double-stranded and single stranded DNA substrates at specific sites and for attaching nucleic acid molecules to the cleaved DNA substrates. One method uses a nucleotide integrase to cleave one strand of a double-stranded DNA and to concomitantly attach a nucleic acid molecule to the cleaved strand. Another method uses a nucleotide integrase to cleave both strands of a double-stranded DNA substrate and to attach a nucleic acid molecule to one strand of the DNA substrate. Another method uses a nucleotide integrase to cleave both strands of a double-stranded DNA substrate and to attach an RNA molecule to one strand of the substrate and for attaching a cDNA to the other strand of the substrate. Another method cleaves single stranded DNA with the concomitant insertion of a nucleic acid molecule at the cleavage point. The nucleotide integrase comprises an RNP particle which comprises a group II intron RNA bound to a group II intron encoded protein. The present invention also relates to purified and reconstituted RNP particles and reconstituted RNP that cleave DNA substrates.