Discovery of epoxyqueuosine (oQ) reductase reveals parallels between halorespiration and tRNA modification.

ABSTRACT: Transfer RNA is one of the most richly modified biological molecules. Biosynthetic pathways that introduce these modifications are underexplored, largely because their absence does not lead to obvious phenotypes under normal growth conditions. Queuosine (Q) is a hypermodified base found in the wobble positions of tRNA Asp, Asn, His, and Tyr from bacteria to mankind. Using liquid chromatography MS methods, we have screened 1,755 single gene knockouts of Escherichia coli and have identified the key final step in the biosynthesis of Q. The protein is homologous to B(12)-dependent iron-sulfur proteins involved in halorespiration. The recombinant Bacillus subtilis epoxyqueuosine (oQ) reductase catalyzes the conversion of oQ to Q in a synthetic substrate, as well as undermodified RNA isolated fr

SUBMITTER: Miles ZD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3088584 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature