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Related Concept Videos

Ribozymes02:47

Ribozymes

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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...
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Riboswitches01:56

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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.
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RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism that inhibits gene expression by suppressing its transcription or activating the RNA degradation process. The mechanism was discovered by Andrew Fire and Craig Mello in 1998 in plants. Today, it is observed in almost all eukaryotes, including protozoa, flies, nematodes, insects, parasites, and mammals. This precise cellular mechanism of gene silencing has been developed into a technique that provides an efficient way to identify and determine the...
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RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
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Chemical Triphosphorylation of Oligonucleotides
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Imaginary Ribozymes.

Ronald R Breaker1

  • 1Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 260 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States.

ACS Chemical Biology
|July 21, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The RNA World hypothesis suggests early life used diverse ribozymes (RNA enzymes) for catalysis before proteins. Recent discoveries of bacterial ribozymes and riboswitches support RNA

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Protein enzymes dominate modern biocatalysis, with limited known ribozymes (RNA enzymes).
  • The RNA World hypothesis posits early life relied heavily on diverse functional RNAs for complex metabolic processes before protein evolution.

Discussion:

  • Recent discoveries of bacterial ribozymes and riboswitches provide evidence for RNA's catalytic capabilities.
  • Natural riboswitches binding small ligands offer insights into the functions of ancient RNA molecules.

Key Insights:

  • RNA molecules possess inherent catalytic competence, capable of diverse chemical reactions independent of protein enzymes.
  • Studying extant riboswitches can illuminate the potential characteristics and roles of extinct ribozymes from the RNA World.

Outlook:

  • Further research into natural riboswitches can refine our understanding of RNA's early evolutionary roles.
  • Exploring the catalytic potential of RNA could lead to novel biocatalytic applications and a deeper understanding of abiogenesis.