Zhang and Cech

The next victims would be ribosomal proteins. Can we take them out There are some indications that ribosomal proteins may not be essential for protein synthesis (Zhang and Cech, 1998), and there are other suggestions about an ancient and simpler translation system (Nissen et al., 2000 Calderone and Liu, 2004). If we accept this, and take out the 55 genes of the ribosomal proteins and some other enzymes, around 110 genes (second column of Table 11.4) would be obtained. 

The notion that RNA existed prior to enzymes and that RNA molecules can be catalytically active is by now well accepted. Indeed, RNA molecules have been observed to catalyze phophodiester bond breaking and synthesis (as occurs during replication and splicing) but also reactions more distant to its stmcture, such as amide bond formation (Wiegand, 1997). RNA thus provided the means to assemble peptides which may have led to the protein world of today (Zhang and Cech, 1998). Reactions catalyzed by RNA molecules have thus far not been employed in biocatalysis and it is unlikely that... 

Zhang, B. and Cech, T. R. (1998). Peptidyl-transferase ribozymes trans reactions, structural characterization and ribosomal RNA-like features. Chem. Biol, 5,... 

D. H. Zhang, M. A. Kandadai, J. Cech, S. Roth, S. A. Curran, Poly(L-lactide) (PLLA)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composite Characterization and biocompatibility evaluation, Journal of Physical Chemistry B, vol. 110, pp. 12910-12915, 2006. 

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