title: Birth of the snoRNPs: the evolution of RNase MRP and the eukaryotic pre-rRNA-processing system.
abstract: The ribonucleoprotein particle RNase MRP is required for the processing of yeast pre-ribosomal RNA (pre-rRNA). A structurally related particle, RNase P, is universally required for processing of pre-tRNA, but in bacteria and archaea also cleaves a site in the pre-rRNA. This suggests that RNase MRP may have arisen in eukaryotes as a form of RNase P specialized for pre-rRNA processing. Other eukaryotic small nucleolar RNAs may have arisen as trans-acting factors that functionally replace cis-acting pre-rRNA interactions in bacteria and archaea.
authors.affiliation: European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Morrissey
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tollervey
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000235:genetics*; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D017411:Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012322:RNA Precursors; D017411:Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear; D004722:Endoribonucleases; C058330:mitochondrial RNA-processing endoribonuclease