title: In vitro processing of Drosophila melanogaster 5 S ribosomal RNA. 3' end effects and requirement for internal domains of mature 5 S RNA.
abstract: 5 S RNA processing in Drosophila melanogaster, the removal of 15 nucleotides from the 3' end of the 135-nucleotide (nt) primary transcript, may play an important role in the regulation of 5 S RNA transport and ribosome assembly. We have uncoupled processing from transcription using gel purified primary transcripts processed in vitro by a cellular S100 extract. The RNA was generated by a homologous transcription system or by a T7 RNA polymerase reaction using a constructed 5 S RNA gene linked to a T7 promoter. In vitro D. melanogaster 5 S RNA processing is heat- and EDTA-sensitive, suggesting a requirement for protein, and produces a 3' end characteristic of mature 5 S RNA. Processing of substrate RNAs with altered 3' ends shows that the 3'-U5 tail (nt 131-135) inhibits the reaction. 30 nt, including all of domain IV and most of domain V, are dispensible for processing, whereas deletions including the base of stem V and all or part of stem III severely inhibit it. Several possible mechanisms are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark 19716.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Preiser
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Levinger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002678:Chimera; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S / Q000235:genetics*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S