The Role of snRNAs in Spliceosomal Catalysis - Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science - page 217

sufficient by itself to elucidate the mechanism of function of the ribozyme,
and careful biochemical analyses have proven to be the key for providing
definitive answers. It is highly probable that understanding spliceosomal
catalysis will likewise require in-depth biochemical characterization,
whichinturnnecessitatesthedevelopment of simplified models for the
spliceosomal catalytic core that are amenable to detailed analysis. The
recent availability of a high-resolution structure for a group II intron ribo-
zyme has enabled the formulation of testable hypotheses addressing the
similarities between group II intron and spliceosome active site organiza-
tion, and it will likely have a significant impact on understanding the
function of the spliceosomal catalytic core. Whether the spliceosome
proves to have an RNA active site heavily buttressed by proteins, or
one composed of both RNA and protein functional groups, it remains a
fascinating example of transition from the RNA world into the present
protein-dominated world.
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