The following year, Altman demonstrated that RNA can act as a catalyst by showing that the RNase-P RNA subunit could catalyze the cleavage of precursor tRNA into active tRNA in the absence of any protein component.
Det følgende år påviste Altman, at RNA kan agere katalysator, idet han viste, at RNase-P's RNA-del kunne katalysere kløvningen af forstadie-tRNA (præ-tRNA) til aktivt tRNA i fravær af enhver proteinkomponent.