Ribozymes as Molecular Biology Reagents

Catalytic RNA molecules (ribozymes) can catalyze a number of biochemical processes, including tRNA processing, mRNA splicing and regulation, and of course peptide bond formation. While many of these reactions involve phosphodiester bond rearrangement, catalysts selected by directed evolution further expand the range of reactions available to ribozymes to include the formation of carbon–carbon bonds and redox reactions. This chapter reviews the adaptation of ribozymes into unique as well as alternative tools for (1) developing biosensors and reporters, (2) manipulation of target RNA, and (3) biocatalysis of non-phosphoryltransfer reactions.