title: Catalytic activity is retained in the Tetrahymena group I intron despite removal of the large extension of element P5.
abstract: We have made sizeable internal deletions within the self-splicing group I intron of Tetrahymena thermophila. Deletions were made in a piecewise manner in order to remove secondary structural elements thought to be extraneous to the catalytic center of the molecule. The resulting deletion mutants retain self-splicing activity, albeit under modified reaction conditions that enhance duplex stability. Considering those portions of the molecule that can be deleted without a loss of catalytic activity, one is left with a catalytic center of approximately 130 nucleotides that is solely responsible for the molecule's activity.
authors: Salk Institute for Biological Studies, San Diego, CA 92138.
authors: G F
authors: GF
authors: Joyce
authors: G
authors: G
authors: van der Horst
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D012326:RNA Splicing; D013768:Tetrahymena / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012313:RNA