title: Isolation of new ribozymes from a large pool of random sequences [see comment].
abstract: An iterative in vitro selection procedure was used to isolate a new class of catalytic RNAs (ribozymes) from a large pool of random-sequence RNA molecules. These ribozymes ligate two RNA molecules that are aligned on a template by catalyzing the attack of a 3'-hydroxyl on an adjacent 5'-triphosphate--a reaction similar to that employed by the familiar protein enzymes that synthesize RNA. The corresponding uncatalyzed reaction also yields a 3',5'-phosphodiester bond. In vitro evolution of the population of new ribozymes led to improvement of the average ligation activity and the emergence of ribozymes with reaction rates 7 million times faster than the uncatalyzed reaction rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Bartel
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Szostak
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002384:Catalysis; D007700:Kinetics; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D011130:RNA Ligase (ATP) / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature; D013698:Templates, Genetic
chemical_list: D009843:Oligoribonucleotides; D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D012313:RNA; D011130:RNA Ligase (ATP); D008274:Magnesium