RNase
Ribonucleases (RNases) are a group of enzymes that specifically degrade RNA. In the lab RNases are used to selectively degrade RNA during DNA purification or in RNA protection assays. In organisms RNases are part of normal RNA turnover and serve offensive/defensive purposes. RNases can be grouped by where they cut RNA: from the ends (exonucleases) or in the middle of the strand (endonucleases) and by their specificity (ssRNA, dsRNA, DNA:RNA,..).
RNase H
Ribonuclease H is a non-specific endoribonuclease which hydrolyzes the phosphodiester bonds of RNA if it is hybridized to DNA. This enzyme does not digest DNA or unhybridized RNA. In DNA replication, RNase H is responsible for removing the RNA primer. Some reverse transcriptases also possess RNase H activity.
Links
- Wikipedia on RNases
- Endy:RNase Protection Assay
- Avoiding RNase contamination
- Reverse Transcriptase - an enzyme with RNase activity
- Affymetrix RNase products
