Focus on function: single molecule RNA enzymology

The ability of RNA to catalyze chemical reactions was first demonstrated 25 years ago with the discovery that group I introns and RNase P function as RNA enzymes (ribozymes). Several additional ribozymes were subsequently identified, most notably the ribosome, followed by intense mechanistic studies. More recently, the introduction of single molecule tools has dissected the kinetic steps of several ribozymes in unprecedented detail and has revealed surprising heterogeneity not evident from ensemble approaches. Still, many fundamental questions of how RNA enzymes work at the molecular level remain unanswered. This review surveys the current status of our understanding of RNA catalysis at the single molecule level and discusses the existing challenges and opportunities in developing suitable assays.