Round 10: Tossup 12

Artificial examples of these molecules prefixed “flexi-” are used to alter tRNA aminoacylation to perturb the “second genetic code.” Searching for RAGATH motifs identified the “twister sister,” “hatchet,” and “pistol” examples of these molecules. One of these molecules has invariant G5, G8, and G12 residues and requires divalent cations to catalyze a reaction that leaves behind a 2-prime-3-prime cyclic terminus; that one of these molecules is named for its hammerhead shape. (10[11]-5[1])Thomas (10[1])Cech (“check”) discovered a self-cleaving (10[1])one (10[1])of these molecules (10[1])in Tetrahymena. Like the (10[1])peptidyltransferase activity in the 23S ribosome, group I introns are considered these molecules because they catalyze their own excision. For 10 points, (10[1])name these RNAs with catalytic (10[1])activity, (10[3])named in analogy to enzymes. (10[1])■END■ (0[3])

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