The chemical repertoire of natural ribozymes.
Although RNA is generally thought to be a passive genetic blueprint, some RNA molecules, called ribozymes, have intrinsic enzyme-like activity--they can catalyse chemical reactions in the complete absence of protein cofactors. In addition to the well-known small ribozymes that cleave phosphodiester bonds, we now know that RNA catalysts probably effect a number of key cellular reactions. This versatility has lent credence to the idea that RNA molecules may have been central to the early stages of life on Earth.
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. doudna@uclink.berkeley.edu
Jennifer A
JA
Doudna
Thomas R
TR
Cech
D000818:Animals; D002384:Catalysis; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012326:RNA Splicing / Q000235:genetics; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D043262:Ribonuclease P; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity
D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; C427204:hammerhead ribozyme; D004722:Endoribonucleases; C468368:RPP14 protein, human; D043262:Ribonuclease P