Guide DNA technique in bacterial ribonuclease P reaction for effective processing of tRNA precursor

Previously, we found that a small (approx. 20-mer) DNA hybridizing to the 5′-leader region of a tRNA precursor enhances the cleavage efficiency in bacterial ribonuclease P reaction. We named this technique the 'guide DNA technique'. Detailed analyses showed that the length of the guide DNA, concentration of the guide DNA and the hybridizing position affected the cleavage efficiency: for an effective cleavage reaction, guide DNA should be designed to hybridize to the region on the cleavage site, should be 20 bases or more in length and should be of high concentration. The presence of a 5′-flanking region in the DNA did not affect the cleavage reaction. The guide DNA technique is a useful tool for effective preparation of mature tRNA molecules in vitro.