Nucleic acids are the biomolecules that carry genetic information. They have a linear, polymeric structure, the monomers of which are nucleotides. The function of nucleic acids is not limited, moreover, to containing the information necessary for the synthesis of cellular proteins. There are regulatory sequences that control the expression of the different genetic units, by themselves or in turn controlled by other molecules (hormones, growth factors, chemical signals in general); nucleic acids are also involved in the transmission and processing of genetic information; there are also nucleic acids with catalytic functions (ribozymes).
A ribozyme is an RNA molecule with catalytic capacity. Ribozymes are some RNA molecules that have the ability to act as catalysts, that is, to accelerate reactions specifically. The term ribozyme itself is derived from the combination of the words ribonucleic acid enzyme.
