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Ribozymes

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...

Ribozymes

Ribozymes

Riboswitches

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...

Types of RNA

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...

Types of RNA

Types of RNA

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 regulating 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 Performs Diverse...

Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches

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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Chemical Triphosphorylation of Oligonucleotides

Chemical Triphosphorylation of Oligonucleotides

Published on: June 2, 2022

Ligand-dependent ribozymes.

Michele Felletti¹, Jörg S Hartig¹

¹Department of Chemistry and Konstanz Research School of Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. RNA

|October 1, 2016

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Ligand-dependent ribozymes, or catalytic RNAs, are found in nature and have been engineered by scientists. These RNA catalysts can be controlled by specific molecules, opening up diverse applications.

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Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Biochemistry
RNA Therapeutics

Background:

The discovery of catalytic RNA (ribozymes) expanded the known functions of RNA beyond genetic information storage.
Naturally occurring ribozymes, similar to protein enzymes, can be modulated by specific molecules (ligands) acting as cofactors or allosteric regulators.
Recent findings reveal widespread ligand-dependent ribozyme motifs across various genetic contexts, suggesting broader roles for RNA catalysis.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the natural occurrence of ligand-dependent ribozymes.
To highlight engineered ligand-dependent catalytic RNA motifs developed by researchers.
To discuss methods for achieving ligand dependency and the applications of ligand-controlled ribozymes.

Main Methods:

Literature review and synthesis of existing research on natural and engineered ribozymes.
Analysis of studies demonstrating ligand modulation of ribozyme activity.
Exploration of modular assembly strategies for creating novel ligand-controlled RNA systems.

Main Results:

Ligand-dependent ribozymes exist in nature and have been successfully engineered by researchers.
Diverse ligand-sensing domains and ribozyme activities can be modularly combined to create functional systems.
Engineered ligand-controlled ribozymes offer versatile platforms for various applications.

Conclusions:

Ligand-dependent ribozymes represent a significant area of RNA biology with both natural and engineered examples.
The modular nature of RNA allows for the creation of sophisticated ligand-controlled catalytic systems.
These systems hold promise for numerous applications in biotechnology and medicine.