title: Ribozyme-catalysed amino-acid transfer reactions.
abstract: The 'RNA world' hypothesis proposes an early stage in the evolution of life in which both genomic and catalytic functions were fulfilled by RNA. The evolution of RNA-catalysed protein synthesis would have been a necessary step in the transition from such an RNA world to modern protein-dominated biology. For this to have been possible, RNA must be capable of catalysing amide-bond formation using acylated carrier RNA substrates as amino-acid donors. We have used in vitro selection and evolution to isolate ribozymes with acyl transferase activity from a pool of random RNA sequences. One of these acyl transferases with a 5'-amino group transfers an amino acid to itself in a reaction that we propose to be analogous to peptidyl transfer on the ribosome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lohse
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Szostak
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004952:Esters / Q000737:chemistry; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D004952:Esters; D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D012313:RNA