What came first: the DNA or protein? Discovery The discovery of ribozymes and the RNA
world hypothesis of RNA world hashave provided a new perspective to given this question
another dimension. Enzymes were was the only known natural catalysts to the discovery ofribozymes.

Ribozymes (also known as RNA enzyme enzymes or catalytic RNA) are RNA particles thatcatalyze biochemic biochemical reactionreactions. Thomas Cech and Altman, who were thefirst to discover discovered ribozymes during in the 1980s, and went on later to investigate
subsequently studied their the catalytic properties. Thomas Cech found that when additional
cell extract was absent, the splicing of introns in a ribosomal RNA in ribosomal RNA gene
genes in Tetrahymena thermophila were found to occur in Tetrahymena thermophila
underwent splicingin the absence of additional cell extract. Sidney Altman and hiscolleagueset al., separated discovered the bacterial RNase P, an enzyme responsible forchanging converting a precursor tRNA to its active tRNAform. However, it was found that inComment [A1]: A comma is not used to separate
the subject and the verb and has therefore been
deleted here.

addition to the proteins, the enzyme also contained RNA that could stimulate the cleavage ofthe cleavage of precursor tRNA into tRNA in the absence of the protein component. Also,
Thomas Cech gave the conclusion concluded that the intron sequence of the RNA cancould
break cleave and reform phosphodiesterphosdiester bonds. They Cech and Altman won theNobel Prize in chemistry for the same thing this in 1989. Natural ribosomes ribozymes
catalyze the hydrolysis of their own phosphodiester bonds. They also catalyze and other

Comment [A2]: In academic writing, information
should be presented with accuracy. At this instance,
the term “ribosomes” refers to a cell organelle,
whereas “ribozymes” refers to catalytic RNA. This
typographical error has been revised for accuracy.

RNA sequences. They also catalyze the aminotransferase activity. They also catalyze thehydrolysis of the other RNA. Ribozymes are so called because they act as enzymes in termsof their specificity and belong to RNA. HoweverDespite possessing enzymatic activity, theyAll material in this document is the intellectual property of Crimson Interactive Pvt. Ltd. The use of informationand content in this document in whole or in part is forbidden unless express permission has been given inwriting by Crimson Interactive Pvt. Ltd.

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ribozymes are different differ from other enzymes because of thbecause of the e following
reasons:

1) Unlike enzymes, ribozymes do not require a specific pH and temperature to function.
2) Ribozymes consists They consist of nucleotides.
3) They do not have well defined well-defined regions, such as active site and catalyzed
catalytic sitesites.
4) They can act on a veryextremely small amounts of substances but perform a more
limited set of instructions.

To date, A many number of natural ribozymes have been discovered and several artificial
ribozymes have been synthesized till date. The discovery of naturally occurring ribozymes isincreasing, along with which several artificial ribozymes have also been synthesized. Due toBecause of their abilities, ribozymes have been investigated for applications as therapeutic
agents and, biosensors, and in genomics functions in addition to their functions in genomics
and gene discoveryand discovery of genes.

All material in this document is the intellectual property of Crimson Interactive Pvt. Ltd. The use of informationand content in this document in whole or in part is forbidden unless express permission has been given inwriting by Crimson Interactive Pvt. Ltd.

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or more words, which act together as one adjective
and are connected by hyphens. Hyphens are usedwith these terms so that their meaning is understoodclearly.