A new study from researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles has uncovered the mechanism by which a type of ribozyme known as a Tetrahymena ribozyme self-splices. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, sheds light on how these ribozymes assemble and splice themselves, a key step in the production of proteins.

The researchers studied the Tetrahymena ribozyme, which is a ribonucleic acid (RNA) enzyme that can self-splice and can be found in many types of organisms, including humans. By using a combination of biochemical and structural analyses, they were able to uncover the mechanism by which Tetrahymena ribozymes assemble and splice themselves. They found that the ribozyme works by folding itself into a specific structure, which then enables the ribozyme to join together two sections of RNA. Once the sections are joined, the ribozyme can then cut the RNA, producing two separate pieces.

This study provides important insight into the functioning of Tetrahymena ribozymes and could be used to develop new treatments and therapies for genetic disorders. It also opens the door to further exploration of the mechanisms of self-splicing

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source: Phys.org