Capturing a Speeding Locomotive

Book Review virtually any target RNA, providing a potentially powerful extension of the antisense approach to gene inactiva-tion. Subsequent advances in RNA synthesis methods allowed large scale preparation of catalytic RNAs for RNA Catalysis. structural studies, the introduction of nucleotide modifications to stabilize antisense ribozymes against intra-Berlin: Springer-Verlag. (1996). 417 pp. $197.00. cellular nucleases, and atomic level mutagenesis to explore the roles of specific functional groups in binding and catalysis. Kinetic and thermodynamic analyses of reactions with modified RNAs have implicated metal Thirty years ago, when debates about the origins of life ions in RNA folding and in catalytic chemistry, with diva-centered on prebiotic self-replicating RNAs, few could lent metals acting as Lewis acids in charge stabilization have envisioned the prominence that RNA catalysis and metal-bound water serving as a general base cata-would come to assume both in our understanding of lyst in proton transfer steps. Furthermore, the range of basic mechanisms of gene expression and in the arsenal catalytic mechanisms available to RNA enzymes was of potential therapeutics. RNA Catalysis captures a view seen to extend beyond phosphoryl transfer to include of this burgeoning field, aptly characterized by editors reactions at carbon centers. Fritz Eckstein and David Lilley as a " photograph (of) Now that secondary structures and kinetic and ther-an express train head-on " (preface). If The RNA World modynamic foundations have been established for a (edited by R. F. Gesteland and J. F. Atkins, 1993, Cold number of RNA-mediated reactions, major changes in Spring Harbor Laboratory Press) evoked an impression-perspective have become evident. The focus has shifted istic image of an ancient time when life was defined by toward higher resolution pictures of active site structure the replication and evolution of RNA genomes, this latest and catalytic chemistry and toward global views of RNA volume in the Nucleic Acids and Molecular Biology re-architecture and the pathways through which secondary view series presents an album of snapshots of contem-structure elements assemble into three dimensional porary RNA enzymes along with a glimpse of RNA cata-units. Proteins have re-entered the picture as intracellu-lysts still to be created. lar RNA-mediated reactions in ribosomes and spliceo-By 1989, when Sidney Altman and Thomas Cech were somes and in gene inactivation applications draw in-awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for demonstrating creasing attention. Half of the reviews in this collection that RNA could act as an enzyme, the growing list of present current views …