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LOST &
quot;RNA" WORLD
A few decades ago, scientists hypothesised that molecules of ribonucleic acid dominated the primeval Earth. This lost "RNA world," which existed some 4 billion years ago, may have set the stage for the development of proteins that subsequently served as the building blocks of life. The discovery of the rybozimes (enzymes made of RNA) in the early 1980s seems to have confirmed this notion. Today, this line of reasoning has opened new fields of biophysical research focusing on the cellular transport of RNA molecules. Such efforts could eventually lead to effective anti-AIDS therapies and other important breakthroughs in public health. "RNA Structure and Function," a course sponsored by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and held at the ICTP Adriatico Guesthouse, explored this burgeoning field of study. Course lecturers hailed from the United States, France, Germany and Italy.
A few decades ago, scientists hypothesised that molecules of ribonucleic acid dominated the primeval Earth. This lost "RNA world," which existed some 4 billion years ago, may have set the stage for the development of proteins that subsequently served as the building blocks of life. The discovery of the rybozimes (enzymes made of RNA) in the early 1980s seems to have confirmed this notion. Today, this line of reasoning has opened new fields of biophysical research focusing on the cellular transport of RNA molecules. Such efforts could eventually lead to effective anti-AIDS therapies and other important breakthroughs in public health. "RNA Structure and Function," a course sponsored by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and held at the ICTP Adriatico Guesthouse, explored this burgeoning field of study. Course lecturers hailed from the United States, France, Germany and Italy.
1998-05-01
