title: Ribozymes: aiming at RNA replication and protein synthesis.
abstract: The RNA world hypothesis is founded on the idea of an RNA replicase, or self-replicating RNA molecule, and presupposes the later emergence of ribozymes capable of catalyzing the synthesis of peptides. The recent demonstrations of ribozyme-catalyzed template-directed primer extension, and of ribozyme-catalyzed amide bond synthesis, confirm the plausibility of the RNA world, and highlight the steps that remain to be demonstrated in the laboratory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hager
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Pollard
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Szostak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D011130:RNA Ligase (ATP) / Q000378:metabolism; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000378:metabolism*; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism; D013768:Tetrahymena / Q000737:chemistry; D014166:Transferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D012313:RNA; D014166:Transferases; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; D011130:RNA Ligase (ATP)