In most modern cells, DNA stores the genetic blueprint, and relies on proteins to replicate, repair and build from those ...

The oldest question in biology has a trap built into it. DNA holds the instructions for making proteins. Proteins are needed ...

Ribozymes are essentially RNA molecules that are capable of catalyzing a chemical reaction. Many naturally occurring ribozymes either catalyze the hydrolysis of their own phosphodiester bonds or cause ...

Researchers have now uncovered the 3D structure of the RNA enzyme SAMURI. Their study provides insights into the development of ribozymes and the evolution of catalytically active RNA. Researchers led ...

In most modern cells, DNA stores the genetic blueprint, and proteins replicate, repair and build from those blueprints. At ...

RNA molecules are real all-rounders. They transfer the genetic information from the DNA in the cell. They regulate the activity of genes. And some of them have a catalytic effect: just like enzymes, ...

A recent study demonstrates that, when searching for the smallest active ribozymes, researchers may have thrown away parts that are important for functions. A longstanding mystery concerning the ...

A new method can test the activity of thousands of RNA enzymes, called ribozymes, in a single experiment. The "RNA world" hypothesis proposes that the earliest life on Earth may have been based on RNA ...

RNA transcripts containing the hammerhead ribozyme have been engineered to self-destruct in the presence of specific nucleoside 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate compounds. These RNA molecular switches were ...

The “RNA world” hypothesis proposes that the earliest life on Earth may have been based on RNA — a single-stranded molecule similar in many ways to DNA — like some modern viruses. This is because, ...

What makes ribozymes particularly interesting is that they are amenable to tinkering. Creation of a protein enzyme de novo, or modification of an existing one to function in a different way, is a ...