Y-ligation: an efficient method for ligating single-stranded DNAs and RNAs with T4 RNA ligase

Mol Divers. 1998;4(3):187-90. doi: 10.1023/a:1009644028931.

Abstract

Very efficient ligation of oligodeoxyribonucleotides was attained through a simple molecular construct, which is composed of one stem and two branches (Y-shape), with use of T4 RNA ligase. Single-stranded DNAs (naturally, RNAs also) of more than 100 nucleotides (even 800 nts) were considerably ligated, approximately as theoretically expected. Owing to the molecular construct adopted, such a tiny amount of ligation products could be amplified to a sufficient amount by PCR and then recovered as single-stranded DNAs. This advantage of being amplifiable is shown to be useful for both combinatorial chemistry and evolutionary molecular engineering, which deal with a pool of diversity molecules.

MeSH terms

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques
  • DNA, Single-Stranded / metabolism*
  • Nucleic Acid Hybridization
  • RNA / metabolism*
  • RNA Ligase (ATP) / metabolism*

Substances

  • DNA, Single-Stranded
  • RNA
  • RNA Ligase (ATP)