A team of scientists led by researchers from the University of California, San Diego, have determined the crystal structure of a molecule that is a molecular fossil of the RNA world, the period of Earth's history when RNA was the dominant form of life.

The molecule, called the self-cleaving hammerhead ribozyme, is an RNA molecule that can cleave itself into two pieces without the help of any proteins or enzymes. This ability to self-cleave is thought to have been essential for the evolution of RNA as a genetic material, as it allowed RNA to replicate and evolve without the need for a complex protein synthesis machinery.

The crystal structure of the hammerhead ribozyme reveals the detailed molecular interactions that allow the molecule to cleave itself. This information could help scientists to design new RNA-based drugs that can target and destroy specific RNA molecules. RNA-based drugs are a promising new class of therapeutics that could be used to treat a variety of diseases, including cancer and viral infections.

The research team also discovered that the hammerhead ribozyme is able to cleave itself into two pieces even when it is bound to a protein. This suggests that RNA molecules may have been able to carry out complex catalytic reactions even before the evolution of proteins.

The discovery of the crystal structure of the self-cleaving hammerhead ribozyme provides new insights into the evolution of RNA and the origin of life. This information could help scientists to develop new drugs and treatments for a variety of diseases.

The research was published in the journal Nature.