Ribozymes: biology, biochemistry, and implications for clinical medicine

Ribozymes are a class of ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules that possess enzymatic properties. Upon binding to complementary nucleic acid strands, catalytic degradation takes place via a cleavage reaction. In effect, inactivation of susceptible substrate RNA molecules takes place at a catalytic rate and with a high degree of substrate specificity. This article reviews the biology and biochemistry of this class of molecules and its potential applications in clinical medicine.