http://exploringorigins.org/ribozymes.html
This Article is about ribozymes. In class we have been studying enzymes and their application in the human body. Enzymes act as a catalyst. It allows for 2 substances to mix easier without affecting the output materials. There are tons of different types of enzymes and each one breaks down a different substance. The one similarity? They are all proteins. Proteins are building blocks in your body. They are the stuff that does stuff. Not all proteins are enzymes. Some proteins are muscles, or bones, or other organs. For a long time, scientists thought that proteins were the only thing that did applications in your body, but they were debunked by 2 scientists named Sidney Altman and Thomas Cech. These two proposed that ribosomes could break down other materials as well as proteins. These scientists found that some RNA as catalytic properties and can act like an enzyme. These were called Ribozymes.
Ribozymes aren't more powerful or more common than normal enzymes, but it's interesting how a ribosome, which is used to make proteins, actually can do some of the same stuff.
Does a ribozyme have an active site for the substrate to enter like an enzyme does? Or does it go through a different process to break down the substances?
ReplyDeleteHow do ribozymes catalyze certain reactions? More specifically, are they basically an enzyme that can also act as a ribosome?
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