Ribosomal RNA pseudouridines and pseudouridine synthases.
Pseudouridines are found in virtually all ribosomal RNAs but their function is unknown. There are four to eight times more pseudouridines in eukaryotes than in eubacteria. Mapping 19 Haloarcula marismortui pseudouridines on the three-dimensional 50S subunit does not show clustering. In bacteria, specific enzymes choose the site of pseudouridine formation. In eukaryotes, and probably also in archaea, selection and modification is done by a guide RNA-protein complex. No unique specific role for ribosomal pseudouridines has been identified. We propose that pseudouridine's function is as a molecular glue to stabilize required RNA conformations that would otherwise be too flexible.
Ofengand
James
J
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami School of Medicine, P.O. Box 016129, Miami, FL 33101, USA. jofengan@molbio.med.miami.edu
D000818:Animals; D001105:Archaea / Q000378:metabolism; D005051:Eubacterium / Q000378:metabolism; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011560:Pseudouridine / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated
D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D011560:Pseudouridine; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated