Ribonucleotide reductases: the link between an RNA and a DNA world?
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Updated: Oct 10, 2026
Simultaneous Mapping and Quantitation of Ribonucleotides in Human Mitochondrial DNA
Published on: November 14, 2017
1Departments of Chemistry and Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. stubbe@mit.edu
Abstract:
The structures of a class III ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) and pyruvate formate lyase exhibit striking homology within their active site domains with respect to each other and to the previously published structure of a class I RNR. The common structures and the common complex-radical-based chemistry of these systems, as well as of the class II RNRs, suggest that RNRs evolved by divergent evolution and provide an essential link between the RNA and DNA world.
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