The enzyme that cleaves a 5-prime leader sequence off these molecules is very nearly conserved across all life. For 10 points each:
[10m] Name these nucleic acids. Upon cleavage of the leader sequence, they fold into a cloverleaf structure and expose their anticodon loop.
ANSWER: tRNAs [or transfer RNAs; or pre-tRNAs or precursor tRNAs; prompt on RNAs or ribonucleic acids]
[10e] In 2002, biologists found the first organism that lacks RNase P: an extremely genome-reduced species in this prokaryotic domain that comprises many extremophiles.
ANSWER: Archaea [or archaebacteria; or archaeon]
[10h] Nanoarchaeum equitans instead synthesizes tRNAs from tRNA “halves” using the trans form of this process. Tom Cech (“check”) discovered ribozymes when he found Tetrahymena RNAs catalyze this process on themselves via a knotted-loop intermediate.
ANSWER: splicing [or splice; or self-splicing; or cis-splicing or trans-splicing; prompt on RNA cleavage]
<Adam Silverman, Science - Biology> ~20880~ <Editor: Adam Silverman>