Stabilization Energy of the Catalytic Core of the Tetrahymena Ribozyme

The stabilization energy of a catalytic core of the Tetrahymena ribozyme has been calculated according to a nearest-neighbor model for RNA duplex formation. The results suggested that the high activity of the mutant ribozyme lacking the P9 region was due to the formation of a stabilized secondary structure by the approach between the active and substrate-binding sites.