Question

What is the ribozyme?

Answer 1

Ribozyme is an RNA molecule. The ribosome is responsible for catalyzing specific biochemical reactions. In the early 1980s, Sidney Altman and Thomas Cech discovered catalytic RNAs. These catalytic RNAs are known as ribozymes.

Complete answer:
The RNA molecule which can catalyze enzymatic activity is known as a ribozyme. Ribozymes are not the true form of catalyst. The name ribozyme represents ribonucleic acid's enzymatic activity. Ribozyme possesses hairpin or hammerheads like center and a secondary structure which allow it to cleave RNA, DNA molecules. Ribozymes are two types. These are self-cleaving RNAs and self-splicing ribozymes. Self-cleaving ribozymes are involved in hairpin ribozymes, hepatitis delta virus, hammerhead ribozymes, etc. self-splicing ribozymes are categorized into groups, named RNase P, group I introns, and group II introns.
Example: Peptidyl transferase 23S rRNA, hairpin ribozyme, HDV ribosome, leadzyme, etc.

Functions of ribozymes:
- Cleavage of RNA, DNA, and peptide bond.
- During protein synthesis, the ribozyme links the amino acids within the large subunit of the ribosome.
- Ribozymes take part in RNA splicing.
- Ribozyme helps in RNA processing reactions.
- Ribozymes are involved in viral replication.

Note: After the discovery of ribozymes, artificial ribozymes are produced within the laboratory. These artificial ribozymes are known as synthetic ribozymes. Artificial ribozymes are synthesized by performing mutations on the natural ribozymes. There are three types of artificial ribozymes made, named ligase ribozyme, allosteric ribozyme, and leadzymes. Self-cleaving RNA is an example of an artificial ribozyme. These self-cleaving RNAs comprise high enzymatic activity which makes it useful in various areas of molecular biology and genetics.