How to make a nucleotide

The 'RNA world' hypothesis is the idea that, early in Earth's history, entities capable of replicating themselves used RNA (ribozyme) rather than protein catalysts. Much work on ribozymes involves looking for different catalytic properties in selection experiments. The latest results show ribozymes to be capable of a highly sophisticated feat -- creation of the glycosidic bond that joins a sugar to a base to make a nucleotide.