Maturation of the 5S rRNA 5' end is catalyzed in vitro by the endonuclease tRNase Z in the archaeon H. volcanii.

ABSTRACT: Ribosomal RNA molecules are synthesized as precursors that have to undergo several processing steps to generate the functional rRNA. The 5S rRNA in the archaeon Haloferax volcanii is transcribed as part of a multicistronic transcript containing both large rRNAs and one or two tRNAs. Release of the 5S rRNA from the precursor requires two endonucleolytic cleavages by enzymes as yet not identified. Here we report the first identification of an archaeal 5S rRNA processing endonuclease. The enzyme tRNase Z, which was initially identified as tRNA processing enzyme, generates not only tRNA 3' ends but also mature 5S rRNA 5' ends in vitro. Interestingly, the sequence upstream of the 5S rRNA can be folded into a mini-tRNA, which might explain the processing of this RNA by tRNase Z. The endonuclease

SUBMITTER: Holzle A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2327364 | biostudies-literature | 2008 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature