Identification and characterization of a divalent metal ion-dependent cleavage site in the hammerhead ribozyme

Research reveals that hammerhead ribozyme cleaves RNA between nucleotides G8 and A9 and the cleavage is mediated by metal ions. Data indicate that zinc is a preferred metal ion although nickel, cobalt, manganese, cadmium, and lead can also catalyze the cleavage. Alkaline-earth metals barely cleaved the ribozyme.