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Related Concept Videos

Riboswitches01:56

Riboswitches

Riboswitches are non-coding mRNA domains that regulate the transcription and translation of downstream genes without the help of proteins. Riboswitches bind directly to a metabolite and can form unique stem-loop or hairpin structures in response to the amount of the metabolite present. They have two distinct regions – a metabolite-binding aptamer and an expression platform.
The aptamer has high specificity for a particular metabolite which allows riboswitches to specifically regulate...
Ribozymes02:47

Ribozymes

The term ribozyme is used for RNA that can act as an enzyme. Ribozymes are mainly found in selected viruses, bacteria, plant organelles, and lower eukaryotes. Ribozymes were first discovered in 1982 when Tom Cech’s laboratory observed Group I introns acting as enzymes. This was shortly followed by the discovery of another ribozyme, Ribonulcease P, by Sid Altman’s laboratory. Both Cech and Altman received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1989 for their work on ribozymes.
Ribozymes can be...
Ribozymes02:47

Ribozymes

The term ribozyme is used for RNA that can act as an enzyme. Ribozymes are mainly found in selected viruses, bacteria, plant organelles, and lower eukaryotes. Ribozymes were first discovered in 1982 when Tom Cech’s laboratory observed Group I introns acting as enzymes. This was shortly followed by the discovery of another ribozyme, Ribonulcease P, by Sid Altman’s laboratory. Both Cech and Altman received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1989 for their work on ribozymes.
Ribozymes can be...
Types of RNA01:23

Types of RNA

Overview
Three main types of RNA are involved in protein synthesis: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). These RNAs perform diverse functions and can be broadly classified as protein-coding or non-coding RNA. Non-coding RNAs play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental changes. Non-coding RNAs in prokaryotes can be manipulated to develop more effective antibacterial drugs for human or animal use.
RNA...
Regulation of Metabolism01:19

Regulation of Metabolism

Cellular needs and conditions vary from cell to cell and change within individual cells over time. For example, the required enzymes and energetic demands of stomach cells are different from those of fat storage cells, skin cells, blood cells, and nerve cells. Furthermore, a digestive cell works much harder to process and break down nutrients during the time that closely follows a meal compared with many hours after a meal. As these cellular demands and conditions vary, so do the amounts and...
Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches01:23

Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches

Riboswitches are RNA elements that regulate gene expression by altering their secondary structures in response to specific effector molecules. These elements, located in the leader regions of certain mRNAs, act as transcriptional regulators by toggling between alternative conformations to control downstream gene expression. Riboswitch-mediated regulation is a precise mechanism for modulating biosynthetic pathways, as exemplified by the riboflavin biosynthesis pathway in Bacillus...

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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Techniques for Determining the Structure and Mechanisms of Metal Ion Recognition and Redox Activity of Metal Binding Oligopeptides
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Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Techniques for Determining the Structure and Mechanisms of Metal Ion Recognition and Redox Activity of Metal Binding Oligopeptides

Published on: September 7, 2019

Controlling ribozyme activity by metal ions.

Joachim Schnabl1, Roland K O Sigel

  • 1Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland.

Current Opinion in Chemical Biology
|January 6, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Metal ions significantly influence ribozyme (catalytic RNA) activity, often exceeding magnesium's effect. Their catalytic roles and interactions with phosphate groups are key to understanding RNA enzyme mechanisms.

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Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Techniques for Determining the Structure and Mechanisms of Metal Ion Recognition and Redox Activity of Metal Binding Oligopeptides
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Benchtop Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography, Reconstitution and Assay of a Polyhistidine Tagged Metalloenzyme for the Undergraduate Laboratory

Published on: August 23, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • RNA Catalysis

Background:

  • Ribozyme reactions are catalyzed by RNA molecules with enzymatic activity.
  • Magnesium ions (Mg2+) are typically considered the natural cofactors for ribozymes.
  • The influence of various metal ions on ribozyme activity is an area of active research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent findings on the impact of diverse metal ions on ribozyme catalysis.
  • To elucidate the catalytic mechanisms of hammerhead, hepatitis delta virus, and group II intron ribozymes.
  • To investigate the relationship between metal ion properties and catalytic efficiency.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent scientific literature on metal ion effects on ribozymes.
  • Analysis of cleavage rates for hammerhead, hepatitis delta virus, and group II intron ribozymes.
  • Comparison of metal ion-dependent cleavage rates with metal ion affinities for phosphate ligands.

Main Results:

  • Metal ion identity strongly dictates ribozyme cleavage reaction rates.
  • Some metal ions exhibit more potent inhibitory or acceleratory effects than Mg2+.
  • Cleavage rates of hammerhead ribozymes correlate precisely with the intrinsic phosphate affinities of the metal ions.

Conclusions:

  • Metal ion selection is critical for modulating ribozyme catalytic activity.
  • The intrinsic phosphate affinity of a metal ion is a key determinant of its effect on hammerhead ribozyme catalysis.
  • Understanding these metal ion interactions provides insights into RNA enzyme mechanisms.