Reaction Chemistry
In common with several other ribozymes and protein ribonucleases, the cleavage reaction of the hairpin ribozyme generates RNA fragments with termini consisting of a 2',3'-cyclic phosphate and a 5'-hydroxyl group. The ligation reaction appears to be a simple reversal of cleavage, i.e. covalent joining of RNA fragments ending with a 2',3'-cyclic phosphate and a 5'-hydroxyl group to generate the ordinary 3'-5' phosphodiester linkage used in both RNA and DNA. Studies of this reaction in multiple ribozymes have served to establish that the reaction chemistry (catalytic mechanism) is an endogenous property of the RNA molecule itself and is not mediated by metal ions, as is true for some protein enzymes and some other ribozymes.
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