Nobel lecture. Self-splicing and enzymatic activity of an intervening sequence RNA from Tetrahymena.

摘要: A living cell requires thousands of different chemical reactions to utilize energy, move, grow, respond external stimuli and reproduce itself. While these take place spontaneously, they rarely proceed at a rate fast enough for life. Enzymes, biological catalysts found in all cells, greatly accelerate the rates impart on them extraordinary specificity. In 1926, James B. Summer crystallized enzyme urease that it was protein. Skeptics argued enzymatic activity might reside trace component preparation rather than protein (Haldane, 1930), took another decade generality Summer's finding be established. As more examples enzymes were found, began appear catalysis would exclusively realm proteins. 1981 1982, my research group I case which RNA, form genetic material, able cleave rejoin its own nucleotide linkages. This self-splicing RNA provided first example catalytic active site formed ribonucleic acid. lecture gives personal view events led our realization potential RNA. It provides yet illustration circuitous path by scientific inquiry often proceeds. The decision expand so many words describing early experiments means much current knowledge about system will not mentioned. For comprehensive mechanism structure Tetrahymena general, reader is directed number recent reviews (Cech & Bass, 1986: Cech, 1987, 1988a, 1990; Burke, 1988; Altman, 1989). Possible medical pharmaceutical implications have also been described recently (Cech, 1988b).