Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An autocatalytic network for ribozyme self-construction

  • News & Views
  • Published:

From Nature Chemical Biology

View current issue Submit your manuscript

The emergence of a primordial RNA world would have required the formation of RNA polymers of sufficient length to possess catalytic activities, which are difficult to obtain by spontaneous polymerization. An analysis of an autocatalytic assembly pathway that can self-construct a functioning ribozyme from smaller oligonucleotide building blocks describes a potential route for RNA extension.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1: Model for the emergence of complex ribozymes in an RNA world.

References

  1. Gilbert, W. Nature 319, 618 (1986).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Nissen, P. et al. Science 289, 920–930 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Cech, T.R. Biosci. Rep. 10, 239–261 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Chen, X., Li, N. & Ellington, A.D. Chem. Biodivers. 4, 633–655 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hayden, E.J., von Kiedrowski, G. & Lehman, N. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. published online, doi:10.1002/anie.200802177 (9 September 2008).

  6. Ferris, J.P., Hill, A.R. Jr., Liu, R. & Orgel, L.E. Nature 381, 59–61 (1996).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Doudna, J.A., Couture, S. & Szostak, J.W. Science 251, 1605–1608 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hayden, E.J. & Lehman, N. Chem. Biol. 13, 909–918 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Eigen, M. Naturwissenschaften 58, 465–523 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Ludlow, R.F. & Otto, S. Chem. Soc. Rev. 37, 101–108 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Burckhard Seelig is in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, The BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA. seelig@umn.edu,

    Burckhard Seelig

Authors
  1. Burckhard Seelig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Seelig, B. An autocatalytic network for ribozyme self-construction. Nat Chem Biol 4, 654–655 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio1108-654

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio1108-654

  • Springer Nature America, Inc.

Search

Navigation