The Double Life of RNA

Lecture 1 – Catalysis: Chemical and Biochemical

by Thomas R. Cech, PhD

Search current video

1. Start of Lecture 1
2. Introduction by HHMI President Dr. Purnell Choppin
3. Video introduction of Dr. Thomas Cech
4. Molecular biology and its relation to chemistry?
5. Demonstration: Determining the gas in three balloons
6. Demonstration: Testing the hypothesis
7. The chemistry of hydrogen combustion
8. Chemical versus biochemical reactions
9. RNA as an information carrier and an enzyme
10. Protein as a biochemical catalyst
11. DNA is suited to storing information
12. RNA can take many shapes
13. Demonstration: Mr. Lincoln glows
14. Chemistry of Mr. Lincoln glows
15. Principles of catalysis
16. Demonstration: Catalyzed oxidation of tartrate
17. Chemistry of tartrate oxidation
18. RNA acting as a catalyst
19. Summary
20. Q&A: Why did you go into molecular biology?
21. Q&A: Why did you decide to research RNA?
22. Q&A: What are examples of RNA as a catalyst?
23. Q&A: Drawbacks of molecular biology research?
24. Q&A: Why did you heat the sodium tartrate?
25. Q&A: What is the catalyst in DNA purification?
26. Q&A: Does DNA have catalytic properties?
27. Q&A: What allows RNA to form different structures?
28. Closing remarks by HHMI President Choppin

Player Features