RNA molecules are an integral part of the human body: In cells, they ensure the transfer of genetic information and regulate the activity of genes. Some even act as catalysts, allowing chemical ...

Researchers have visualized how a large RNA molecule assembles itself into a functional machine. RNA is a central biological macromolecule, now widely harnessed in medicine and nanotechnology. Like ...

RNA is a central biological macromolecule, now widely harnessed in medicine and nanotechnology. Like proteins, RNA function often depends on its precise three-dimensional structure. A recent study ...

John Mattick is a professor of RNA biology at the University of New South Wales Sydney in Australia and author of RNA, the Epicenter of Genetic Information. “Folding into origami-like shapes, it can ...

An extremely small RNA molecule created by a University of Colorado team can catalyze a key reaction needed to synthesize proteins, the building blocks of life. The findings could be a substantial ...

The Catalyst: RNA and the Quest to Unlock Life’s Deepest Secrets. Thomas Cech. W.W. Norton; 304 pages; $28.99 and £23.99 All this is the subject of Thomas Cech’s new book, “The Catalyst”. The author ...

One such chemical modification is cytidine acetylation (N4-acetylcytidine). Until now, the precise function of this chemical modification within cells has not been clearly understood. In particular, ...