Detection Of Sense: Antisense Duplexes By Structure-Specific Anti-Rna Antibodies

Abstract It is generally assumed that inhibition of gene expression by antisense RNA involves the formation of sense: antisense RNA hybrids (for review see refs 1-3). The formation of such hybrids is well established in prokaryotic systems and has also been shown experimentally in a few cukaryotic systems (4-6). In most eukaryotic organisms, however, attempts to detect sense:antisense RNA complexes have failed, although the biological effects of the antisense RNA were obvious. Since in several cases the simultaneous synthesis of both RNA strands has been confirmed by nuclear run-on transcription assays, and since reduced steady state levels of sense RNA have been detected, it has been proposed that sense:antisense hybrids are very rapidly degraded in vivo (7-9). In addition to the classical duplex formation degradation mechanism other antisense control mechanisms may also exist, and have been discussed (1-3, 7-9).