Re: 3D of Ribozyme
- From: dk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (DK)
- Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007 14:01:31 -0500 (EST)
In article <etike3$15a2$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Perplexed in Peoria" <jimmenegay@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
<TomHendricks474@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:etekoh$2goj$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
This can be a breakthrough for RNA world thinkersRNA enzyme structure offers
a glimpse into the origins of life
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.nl.html?pid=22137
"Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have
determined the three-dimensional structure of an RNA enzyme,
or "ribozyme," that carries out a fundamental reaction required to
make new RNA molecules. Their results provide insight into what may have
been the first self-replicating molecule to arise billions of years ago
on the evolutionary path toward the emergence of life."
Well, maybe. I was enthusiastic, too, when the first 3-D structures of
the most important 'ribozyme' - the ribosome - became available about
5 years ago. I thought it might provide insight into the origin of
protein synthesis, if not OOL. But if anything much has come of that,
I haven't heard about it.
Ribosome is as removed from prebiotic ribozymes as modern day
Mercedes is from the first steam engines. The 3.0A structure of ribosome
tells us pretty much everything in terms of - the same analogy here -
how Mercedes engine is designed and 90% of how it works. From there,
it's a long trip to the orignal steam engine if you never saw one!
Or, to use another analogy, a modern radio is built upon the same principle
as at least four independent designs that popped up within couple of years
in various parts of the world. And yet, for an alien observer, it's really
not based on any of these designs.
DK
.
- References:
- 3D of Ribozyme
- From: TomHendricks474
- Re: 3D of Ribozyme
- From: Perplexed in Peoria
- 3D of Ribozyme
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