Abstract: A nucleic acid aptamer inhibits the binding activity or enzymatic activity of a complex comprising guide RNA and nuclease against a target nucleic acid, the nucleic acid aptamer comprising the following regions (1) to (3): (1) a single-stranded guide RNA recognition region comprising a guide RNA-recognizing oligonucleotide including a sequence recognizing the guide RNA; (2) a neck region comprising a first neck oligonucleotide including the PAM sequence, and a second neck oligonucleotide including a sequence having complementarity to the PAM sequence; and (3) a double-stranded structure stabilization region comprising a first structure-stabilizing oligonucleotide and a second structure-stabilizing oligonucleotide, in which the region (1) is linked to the second neck oligonucleotide to form a loop structure or a flap structure, and the regions (2) and (3) are linked to each other to together form a stem structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for detecting a target molecule using the sequence information of a collection (pool) of aptamers capable of specifically binding to a target molecule, comprising the following steps of: (a) bringing a target molecule into contact with a collection of oligonucleotides which comprise multiple nucleic acid aptamers having different randomized sequences; (b) selecting a subcollection of oligonucleotides that bind to the target molecule; (c) examining the sequence of each oligonucleotide of the selected subcollection; (d) extracting sequence information which is characteristic to the oligonucleotides having affinity for the target molecule, from the sequences of the selected oligonucleotides; and (e) identifying the target molecule based on the sequence information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a simple method for producing a dumbbell-shaped DNA.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide: a double-stranded RNA (siRNA) capable of suppressing expression of Skp-2 gene, a double-stranded RNA expression cassette capable of expressing a double-stranded RNA, a double-stranded RNA expression vector containing a double-stranded RNA expression cassette, and highly safe therapeutic drug and therapy specific to cancers such as small cell lung cancer having Skp-2 as a molecular target. The RNAi target sequence is set in a plurality of sites in the protein translation region of Skp-2 mRNA, the expressed siRNA, which is a dsRNA exhibiting RNAi effect, is constructed on a lentiviral vector to construct a recombinant viral vector, and various small cell lung cancer cell lines and small cell lung cancers are infected with this viral vector, to confirm the cell proliferation suppression effect in vitro and the proliferation suppression effect in vivo.

Abstract: The present invention provides a simple method for producing a dumbbell-shaped DNA.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting the replication ability of a hepatitis C virus (HCV) is provided. An oligoribonucleotide or a peptide nucleic acid which sequence-specifically binds to the HCV-RNA, and a therapeutic agent for hepatitis C which contains any of these components as an active ingredient are provided.

Abstract: The in vivo siRNA expression system according to this invention is a system that intracellularly expresses small interfering (si) RNAs and comprises antisense and sense code DNAs coding for antisense and sense RNAs targeting any region of a target gene mRNA and one or more promoters that function to express the antisense and sense RNAs from the antisense and sense code DNAS, respectively.

Abstract: A double-stranded RNA comprising an antisense RNA and a sense RNA with specific mutations are disclosed as having enhanced RNAi activities. The double stranded RNA has at least one substitution or insertion mutation introduced at a first, second or third nucleotide position from the 5? end of the antisense RNA or at 17-19 position as counted from the 3? end of the antisense sequence excluding an overhang, and the antisense RNA is complementary to a region of an mRNA of a target gene except the at least one substitution or insertion mutation. Related single-strand RNAs, vectors, methods, cells and compositions are disclosed.

Abstract: The in vivo siRNA expression system according to this invention is a system that intracellularly expresses small interfering (si) RNAs and comprises antisense and sense code DNAs coding for antisense and sense RNAs targeting any region of a target gene mRNA and one or more promoters that function to express the antisense and sense RNAs from the antisense and sense code DNAs, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a therapeutic method using RNAi directed at BRAF, of which the point mutation, especially V599E, occurs frequently in melanomas. RNAi specific for the mutated BRAF will provide a specific therapeutic intervention for cancers such as malignant melanoma. Several target sequences for RNAi were selected in the protein coding region of the BRAF mRNA. The short hairpin RNA expression cassette was constructed on the lentiviral vector. One recombinant viral vector for the mutated BRAF V599E and two other vectors sites for wild type BRAF were constructed to infect various malignant melanoma cell lines, and the effects on the growth inhibition and the signaling of MAPK pathway were examined. The inhibitory effect on the invasion ability of malignant melanoma cell line and in vivo growth of a malignant melanoma cell line were examined.

Abstract: The in vivo siRNA expression system according to this invention is a system that intracellularly expresses small interfering (si) RNAs and comprises antisense and sense code DNAs coding for antisense and sense RNAs targeting any region of a target gene mRNA and one or more promoters that function to express the antisense and sense RNAs from the antisense and sense code DNAs, respectively.