Toray Industries, Inc.

Kanazawa University

Munetaka Kunishima

Tadaaki Ohgi

Katsuhiko Iseki

Eriko Aoki

Keiichi Okimura

Hideaki Inada

Hikaru Fujita

Tatsuya Fujita

Kyohei Koshimoto

Kohei Yamada

A method produces a hairpin single-stranded RNA molecule capable of inhibiting expression of a target gene, including the step of reacting a first single-stranded oligo-RNA molecule represented by formula (I) with a second single-stranded oligo-RNA molecule represented by formula (II) in a mixed solvent including a buffer solution and a hydrophilic organic solvent in the presence of a dehydration condensation agent: 5′-Xc-Lx(I) and Lx-X—Y-Ly-Yc-3′ (II), wherein the dehydration condensation agent is selected from the group consisting of a triazine-based dehydration condensation agent, a uronium-based dehydration condensation agent including an N-hydroxy nitrogen-containing aromatic ring structure, a carbodiimide-based dehydration condensation agent, a 2-halopyridinium-based dehydration condensation agent, and a formamidinium-based dehydration condensation agent.

Method of producing hairpin single-stranded RNA molecules

To provide: a hydroxy group protecting agent which is stable and easy to use, does not have carcinogenicity, a tearing property or the like, and is inexpensive; and a hydroxy group protection method which enables the protection of a hydroxy group under acidic conditions. [Solution] A hydroxy group protecting agent in which at least one protecting group is bound to a nitrogen-containing electron-withdrawing heterocyclic ring through any one of an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom and a nitrogen atom. The heterocyclic ring is a triazine ring or the like, and the protecting group is a benzyl group or the like. Specifically, the hydroxy group protecting agent is 2,4,6-tribenzyloxy-1,3,5-triazine, 2,4,6-tris(4-methoxybenzyloxy)-1,3,5-triazine or the like. In addition, 2,4,6-tris(t-butoxy)-1,3,5-triazine or the like can also be used. For protecting a hydroxy group, a compound of interest which has a hydroxy group is reacted with the hydroxy group protecting agent under acidic conditions.

Hydroxy group protecting agent and hydroxy group protection method

Growing community of inventors

Kanazawa, Japan

Munetaka Kunishima