Specific recognition of the basic N peptide by an RNA

Artificial binding model systems with sufficient specificity are indispensable for study and understanding of living systems. Here, we report a small hairpinloop RNA that interacts with a basic peptide derived from bacteriophage lambda N protein, as a new protein-RNA binding model. The RNA was selected in vitro from a hairpinloop RNA library and recognized the target N peptide more specifically than the boxB RNA, the naturally occurring N protein binder.