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Thomas Cech
born 1947 · United States · Born 1940 or later
Nobel Chemistry 1989
American biochemist who discovered catalytic RNA, reshaping molecular biology and ideas about the origin of life.
Nobel-winning work
He discovered that RNA can act as a catalyst: the self-splicing ribosomal RNA of Tetrahymena cuts and rejoins itself without protein enzymes, establishing ribozymes and revising the view that only proteins catalyse life’s reactions.
Fields
Related topics
Enzymes and enzyme kinetics
Enzymes accelerate reactions by lowering the activation free-energy barrier; they do not change the equilibrium constant.
DNA and RNA structure
DNA stores information in a paired double helix; RNA shares the nucleotide backbone but often forms diverse single-stranded folds.