Clamping RNA polymerase Ribozyme - Science, 2021 (VIDEO)

Simon Fraser University

Caption

At the dawn of life, polymerases made from RNA likely replicated RNA genomes and maintained metabolic RNA enzymes essential for life. The clamping RNA polymerase ribozyme uses a specificity primer to recognize an RNA promoter. Once localized, the polymerase rearranges into a processive complex, capable of copying extended regions of template. This promoter recognition and processivity is similar to many aspects of modern promoter dependent transcription and demonstrates how early in evolution RNA genes might have been replicated and expressed.

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Simon Fraser University

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