Nucleic Acids

Nucleic acid enzymes

The discovery of natural RNA catalysts has prompted chemical biologists to pursue artificial nucleic acids that have catalytic activities. Such artificial nucleic acid enzymes may comprise either RNA or DNA. The term ‘nucleic acid enzyme’ is used to identify nucleic acids that have catalytic activity. Ribozymes are found in nature and mediate phosphodiester bond cleavage and formation and peptide bond formation.