Ribonuclease Activity (None)

Ribonuclease activity refers to the enzymatic or chemical process of cleaving RNA molecules by breaking the phosphodiester bonds in their sugar-phosphate backbone. This process is also known as RNA hydrolysis or RNA cleavage. The hydrolysis of RNA occurs when the 2'-hydroxyl (2'-OH) group on the ribose sugar acts as a nucleophile, attacking the adjacent phosphorus atom in the phosphodiester bond. This leads to cleavage of the ester bond and formation of a 2',3'-cyclic phosphate intermediate. Different RNases have distinct substrate preferences and biological roles. Ribonuclease activity plays essential roles in: degradation and turnover of cellular RNAs, processing precursor RNAs into mature forms, defense against viral infection via targeted degradation, maintenance of genome stability through removal of aberrant RNA:DNA hybrids (e.g., R-loops).

Other names

RNA HydrolysisRNA Cleavage

N/A