stylized illustration representing Ribonucleases (RNases)

Nucleases that catalyze the degradation of RNA, used to remove RNA from DNA solutions.

Properties of ribonucleases (RNases)

RibonucleaseApplicationsReaction catalyzedSubstrateReaction products
RNase A, DNase and protease-free
  • Removal of RNA from plasmid or genomic DNA preparations
  • Removal of RNA from recombinant protein preparations
  • Ribonuclease protection assays
Cleavage of phosphodiester bonds between 3’-C or 3’-U residues and the 5’-OH residue of an adjacent nucleotidessRNA
  • 3’-CMP
  • 3’-UMP
  • oligonucleotides with terminal 3’-CMP
  • 3’-UMP
RNase T1
  • Removal of RNA from DNA solutions
  • RNA sequencing
  • Ribonuclease protection assays
Cleavage of phosphodiester bonds between 3’-G residues and the 5’-OH residue of an adjacent nucleotidessRNA
  • 3’-GMP
  • oligonucleotides with terminal 3’-GMP
RNase A/T1 Mix
  • Removal of RNA from DNA solutions 
  • Removal of RNA from recombinant protein preparations
  • Ribonuclease protection assays
Combines the activities of RNase A and RNase T1ssRNA
  • 3’-CMP
  • 3’-UMP
  • 3’-GMP
  • oligonucleotides with terminal
    3’-CMP
  • 3’-UMP
    or 3’-GMP
RNase I
  • Removal of RNA from DNA solutions 
  • Removal of RNA from recombinant protein preparations
  • Ribonuclease protection assays
Cleavage of all phosphodiester bonds in an RNA templatessRNA
  • 3’-NMP
RNase H
  • Removal of mRNA prior to synthesis of second strand cDNA
  • Removal of RNA after first strand cDNA synthesis
  • Removal of the poly(A) sequences of mRNA after the hybridization with oligo(dt)
Cleavage of RNA phosphodiester bonds in RNA-DNA hybridsRNA in RNA-DNA hybrids
  • 5’-P oligonucleotides

ss – single-stranded
ds – double-stranded
NMP – ribonucleoside monophosphate