Smallcis-acting ribozymes have been converted into trans-acting ribozymes possessing the ability to cleave RNA substrates. The Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV) ribozyme is one of the rare examples of these that is derived from an RNA species that is found in human cells. Consequently, it possesses the natural ability to function in the presence of human proteins in addition to an outstanding stability in human cells, two significant advantages in its use. The development of an additional specificon/offadaptor (SOFA) has led to the production of a new generation of HDV ribozymes with improved specificities that provide a tool with significant potential for future development in the fields of both functional genomics and gene �therapy. SOFA-HDV ribozyme-based gene inactivation systems have been reported in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Here, a step-by-step approach for the efficient design of highly specific SOFA-HDV ribozymes with a minimum investment of time and effort is described.
