Viroids are small, single-stranded, circular RNAs infecting plants. Composed of only a few
hundred nucleotides and being unable to code for proteins, viroids represent the lowest …

Genomes 5 has been completely revised and updated. It is a thoroughly modern textbook
about genomes and how they are investigated. As with previous Genomes editions …

Earth's life may have originated as self-replicating RNA, and it has been argued that RNA
viruses and viroid-like elements are remnants of such pre-cellular RNA world. RNA viruses …

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are covalently closed single-stranded RNA molecules derived
from exons by alternative mRNA splicing. Circularization of single-stranded RNA molecules …

Ribozymes are noncoding RNAs that promote chemical transformations with rate
enhancements approaching those of protein enzymes. Although ribozymes are likely to …

RNA can fold back on itself to adopt a wide range of structures. These range from relatively
simple hairpins to intricate 3D folds and can be accompanied by regulatory interactions with …

Small endonucleolytic ribozymes promote the self-cleavage of their own phosphodiester
backbone at a specific linkage. The structures of and the reactions catalysed by members of …

RNA-catalyzed RNA replication is widely considered a key step in the emergence of life's
first genetic system. However, RNA replication can be impeded by the extraordinary stability …

It is possible that the transition from abiotic systems to life relied on RNA polymers that
served as ribozyme-like catalysts and for storing genetic information. The source of such …

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a human pathogen, and the only known species in the genus
Deltavirus. HDV is a satellite virus and depends on the hepatitis B virus (HBV) for packaging …