RIBOZYMES - AIMING AT RNA REPLICATION AND PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS

The RNA world hypothesis is founded on the idea of an RNA replicase, o r self-replicating RNA molecule, and presupposes the later emergence o f ribozymes capable of catalyzing the synthesis of peptides, The recen t demonstrations of ribozyme-catalyzed template-directed primer extens ion, and of ribozyme-catalyzed amide bond synthesis, confirm the plaus ibility of the RNA world, and highlight the steps that remain to be de monstrated in the laboratory.