Chemical diversity in RNA cleavage
Westhof, E.
Science 286(5437): 61-62
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-8075 PMID: 10532891 Document Number: 508760
In this issue, A. T. Perotta and colleagues present clear evidence for a unique catalytic cleavage pathway in the hepatitis delta virus ribozyme. The researchers show that this ribozyme is capable of a process during self-cleavage called base catalysis, a discovery that elucidates the mechanism of RNA catalysis as well as on the chemical evolution of RNA in a hypothetical prebiotic world: It could lead to other yet undiscovered biological enzymatic activities influenced by RNA molecules.