Eubacterial tmRNAs: everywhere except the alpha-proteobacteria?
Eubacterial tmRNAs mediate, at least in Escherichia coli, recycling of ribosomes stalled at the end of terminatorless mRNAs. A tmRNA-encoded peptide tag is added to abnormal protein products of truncated mRNAs. This tag is a specific signal for proteolysis of the aberrant protein. To obtain further sequence information, PCR was used to amplify more Eubacterial genes for tmRNA. Fifty-eight new tmDNA sequences including from members of nine additional phyla were determined. Remarkably, tmDNA sequences could be amplified from all species tested apart from those in the alpha-Proteobacteria, raising evolutionary implications.
Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5330, USA. bfelden@genetics.utah.edu
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B
Felden
R F
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Gesteland
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JF
Atkins
D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*
D011506:Proteins; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; C096222:tmRNA