Design, synthesis and characterisation of a 34-residue polypeptide that interacts with nucleic acids.

Based on secondary structure prediction rules and model building a neutral artificial 34-residue polypeptide with potential nucleic acid-binding activity was synthesised. This peptide and its covalent dimer showed strong interaction with cytidine phosphates and single-stranded DNA. The dimer had considerable ribonuclease activity with high preference for cleavage at the 3'-end of C.