The recognition and cleavage of RNA in the antisense oligo–RNA hybrid duplexes by RNase H

The different extent of the target RNA cleavage at t99.9% by RNase H in the AON–RNA duplexes, at the RNA saturation condition by antisense oligo, is due to different recognition and catalytic properties of RNase H toward the hybrids owing to different substituents at the 3′-end of the AONs, not owing to the different thermodynamic stabilities of the antisense oligonucleotide (AON)–RNA duplexes.