Ribonuclease A (RNase A) is an endoribonuclease, that specifically cleaves single-stranded RNA 3' to pyrimidine residues (cytosine, uracil). Thereby, it generates pyrimidine-3'-phosphate or
oligonucleotides with terminal pyrimidine-3'-phosphates. The pH-optimum is in the range of 7.0 - 7.5. RNase A is used for the purification of RNA-free DNA, for the removal of non-hybridized
regions of RNA : DNA-hybrides or as a molecular weight marker. The enzyme is inhibited by diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC), guanidinium salts (4 M GuaSCN), β-mercaptoethanol, heavy metals,
vanadyl-ribonucleoside-complexes, RNase-inhibitor from human placenta and competitively by DNA, respectively. Regarding the latter, the effect of denatured DNA is higher than by native nucleic
Nevertheless, RNase A is very active under very different conditions and difficult to inactivate. At low salt-concentrations (up to 100 mM NaCl), RNase A cleaves single- and double-stranded RNA
and RNA in RNA : DNA- hybrides. Under high salt concentrations (>300 mM NaCl) single-stranded RNA is cleaved only.
To remove the enzyme from samples, it has to be digested by proteinase K (frequently, SDS at a final concentration of 0.6 % is added) and several phenol extractions are required. (Applications:
Enzymatic manipulation of DNA and RNA: ref. 1 Suppl. 8 p. 3.13.1; minipreps of plasmid-DNA: ref. 1 Suppl. 24 p. 1.6.6; inSitu-hybridisation of cellular RNA: ref. 1 Suppl. 7 p. 14.3.8;
removal of RNA from plasmid preparations: ref. 2 p. 1.51)
Stock solutions are prepared at concentrations from 1 - 10 mg/ml in 10 mM Tris · HCl, pH 7.5; 15 mM NaCl or in 10 mM Tris · HCl, pH 7.5; 1 mM EDTA, pH 8.0 (TE buffer).
The recommended working concentration is 10 μg/ml (removal of RNA from plasmid preparations; 1 hr, RT) or 100 ng/ml (preparation of "blunt ends" of double-stranded cDNA).
Data taken by Applichem