Changes

===RNase P===

===RNase P===

'''RNase P''' is a ribozyme with ribonuclease (RNA cutting) activity found in all known forms of cellular life.  It is responsible for processing precursor-tRNAs as well as precursors to some other functional RNAs within the cell.<ref>http://rna.cshl.edu/content/free/chapters/14_rna_world_2nd.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9759486</ref><ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC148169/pdf/270314.pdf</ref>

'''RNase P''' is a ribozyme with ribonuclease (RNA cutting) activity found in all known forms of cellular life.  It is responsible for processing precursor-tRNAs as well as precursors to some other functional RNAs within the cell.<ref>http://rna.cshl.edu/content/free/chapters/14_rna_world_2nd.pdf</ref><ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9759486</ref><ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC148169/pdf/270314.pdf</ref>

===The spliceosome (hypothesized)===

===The spliceosome (hypothesized)===

==Origin of Life Debate==

==Origin of Life Debate==

Ribozymes are currently a centerpiece in the ongoing debate on the origin of life.  The ability of some RNA polymerizing ribozymes to synthesize functional products without the need for a [[DNA]] template<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11358999</ref> (they use an RNA template instead) makes RNA an attractive candidate for hypothetical primitive [[biochemistry]].  There is a growing body of chemical, [[molecular biology|molecular biological]], and [[geology|geological]] evidence which supports this hypothesis.<ref>http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v459/n7244/full/nature08013.html</ref><ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2673073/pdf/743.pdf</ref><ref>http://bonhamchemistry.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/RNA_World.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.springerlink.com/content/k84710318l244777/</ref><ref>http://dasher.wustl.edu/bio5357/reading/nature-418-214-02.pdf</ref><ref>http://auditore.cab.inta-csic.es/manrubia/files/2012/09/OLEB40-429.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3293468/pdf/nihms78555.pdf</ref>  Additionally, the recent development of a self-replicating ribozyme derived from a viral ribozyme,<ref>http://www.pnas.org/content/99/20/12733.full.pdf+html</ref><ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22551009</ref> demonstrates that self-replicating RNAs ''can'' exist.  However, the evidence remains largely circumstantial as nothing conclusive has been found thus far and, even among biochemists, the hypothesis does have its detractors.<ref>http://www.biology-direct.com/content/pdf/1745-6150-7-23.pdf</ref>

Ribozymes are currently a centerpiece in the ongoing debate on the origin of life.  The ability of some RNA polymerizing ribozymes to synthesize functional products without the need for a [[DNA]] template<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11358999</ref> (they use an RNA template instead) makes RNA an attractive candidate for hypothetical primitive [[biochemistry]].  There is a growing body of chemical, [[molecular biology|molecular biological]], and [[geology|geological]] evidence which supports this hypothesis.<ref>http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v459/n7244/full/nature08013.html</ref><ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2673073/pdf/743.pdf</ref><ref>http://bonhamchemistry.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/RNA_World.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.springerlink.com/content/k84710318l244777/</ref><ref>http://dasher.wustl.edu/bio5357/reading/nature-418-214-02.pdf</ref><ref>http://auditore.cab.inta-csic.es/manrubia/files/2012/09/OLEB40-429.pdf</ref><ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3293468/pdf/nihms78555.pdf</ref>  Additionally, the recent development of a self-replicating ribozyme derived from a viral ribozyme,<ref>http://www.pnas.org/content/99/20/12733.full.pdf+html</ref><ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22551009</ref> demonstrates that self-replicating RNAs ''can'' exist.  However, the evidence remains largely circumstantial as nothing conclusive has been found thus far and, even among biochemists, the hypothesis does have its detractors.<ref>http://www.biology-direct.com/content/pdf/1745-6150-7-23.pdf</ref>

This hypothesis that life originated from RNA and ribonucleoprotein based biochemistry is called the ''RNA world hypothesis''.  It is considered by many biochemists to be the most plausible current hypothesis for the origin of life.  Research investigating this possibility is currently ongoing.

This hypothesis that life originated from RNA and ribonucleoprotein based biochemistry is called the ''RNA world hypothesis''.  It is considered by many biochemists to be the most plausible current hypothesis for the origin of life.  Research investigating this possibility is currently ongoing.