mol gen 7CatalyticRNA

ribozyme

An RNA that has catalytic activity.

RNA editing

A change of sequence at the level of RNA following transcription.

Group I introns

Introns that can self-splice by two transesterification reactions without requiring input of energy.

transesterification

A reaction that involves the exchange of one ester for another, often occurring in RNA splicing.

catalytic activity of RNase P

RNase P is a ribonucleoprotein that has catalytic activity essential for processing RNA.

intron homing

The ability of certain introns to insert themselves into a target DNA sequence.

Viroids

Small plant RNA pathogens that lack a protein coat and can self-cleave.

riboswitch

A catalytic RNA whose activity responds to a small ligand, altering transcriptional or translational processes.

autocatalytic

Referring to a reaction or process that can catalyze itself, such as protein splicing by inteins.

guide RNA

An RNA that provides a template for editing another RNA molecule, often seen in RNA editing in mitochondrial genes.

maturase

A protein that assists introns in folding into active catalytic structures.

self-splicing

The process by which introns can catalyze their own removal from RNA without additional proteins.

Group II introns

Introns that can autosplice but usually require protein assistance and encode multifunctional proteins.

catalytic site

The region within a ribozyme where the chemical reactions occur.

extein

The protein sequences flanking an intein that are joined together after the intein is removed.

phosphodiester bond

A bond between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the hydroxyl group of another, linking nucleotides in RNA and DNA.

hammerhead structure

A specific RNA structure that viroids and virusoids use for self-cleaving activities.

intein

A protein domain that can catalyze its own removal from a larger protein.

excision

The process whereby an intron is removed from RNA during splicing.

RNA world hypothesis

The proposition that self-replicating ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules were precursors to current life.