Abstract
RNA enzymes are postulated to have catalysed all chemical reactions in the earliest living cells. This idea is now investigated in a search for alkyl transferases from a pool of random sequence RNAs. Selection for self-biotinylation yields a transfer RNA-like ribozyme that efficiently catalyses carbon-nitrogen bond formation. Ribozymes can thus promote reactions other than those involving the RNA sugar-phosphate backbone, suggesting that RNA may be capable of a broad range of catalytic activities.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Alkylation
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Base Sequence
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Biological Evolution*
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Biotin / analogs & derivatives
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Biotin / metabolism
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Catalysis
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Cloning, Molecular
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DNA
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Ethylenediamines / metabolism
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In Vitro Techniques
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Nucleic Acid Conformation
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RNA, Catalytic / chemistry
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RNA, Catalytic / isolation & purification
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RNA, Catalytic / metabolism*
Substances
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Ethylenediamines
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N-biotinoyl-N'-iodoacetylethylenediamine
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RNA, Catalytic
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Biotin
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DNA