Ribozyme

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Ribozymes are RNA molecules that are capable of catalyzing chemical reactions. They are similar in function to enzymes, which are proteins that catalyze reactions, but ribozymes are made of RNA rather than protein.
Ribozymes were first discovered in the 1980s, when researchers found that RNA molecules could act as enzymes and catalyze reactions that were thought to require proteins. This discovery challenged the long-held idea that only proteins could act as enzymes.
There are several different types of ribozymes, each of which catalyzes a different type of reaction. For example, some ribozymes catalyze the cleavage of RNA molecules, while others catalyze the ligation of RNA molecules.
Ribozymes are important in many biological processes, including RNA splicing, which is the process by which introns are removed from pre-mRNA molecules, and in some viruses, where they are involved in the replication of viral RNA. Researchers are also exploring the potential uses of ribozymes in biotechnology, including as tools for gene therapy and as biosensors.