Ribozymes

Question

Ribozymes
A)are complexes of ribosomes and RNA.
B)are self-catalytic RNA.
C)suggest that nucleic acids evolved before proteins.
D)are enzymes that degrade RNA and therefore have potential for clinical applications.
E)are self-catalytic RNA AND suggest that nucleic acids evolved before proteins.

Accepted Answer

Ribozymes are indeed self-catalytic RNA molecules, which means they can catalyze chemical reactions without the need for proteins. This characteristic supports the hypothesis that nucleic acids, specifically RNA, could have been the first molecules to carry genetic information and catalyze chemical reactions, suggesting that nucleic acids evolved before proteins.