title: Metal ions in ribozyme folding and catalysis.
abstract: Current research is reshaping basic theories regarding the roles of metal ions in ribozyme function. No longer viewed as strict metalloenzymes, some ribozymes can access alternative catalytic mechanisms depending on the identity and availability of metal ions. Similarly, reaction conditions can allow different folding pathways to predominate, with divalent cations sometimes playing opposing roles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. hanna@csb.yale.edu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Doudna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002384:Catalysis; D002412:Cations; D008667:Metalloproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008670:Metals; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D008667:Metalloproteins; D008670:Metals; D016337:RNA, Catalytic