title: Information available at cut rates: structure and mechanism of ribonucleases.
abstract: Ribonucleases are counterweights in the balance of gene expression and are also involved in the maturation of functional RNA. Recent structural data reveal how ribonucleases recognize and cleave targets, in most cases with the catalytic assistance of metal cofactors. Many of these enzymes are 'processive', in that they make multiple scissions following the binding of substrates; crystallographic data can account for this solution behaviour. These data not only explain how ribonucleases turn over transcripts, but also provide hints about how they often play dual roles in quality control checks on structured RNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan A R
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Worrall
authors.forename: Ben F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Luisi
mesh_terms: D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005095:Exoribonucleases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017510:Protein Folding; D016914:Ribonuclease H / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004722:Endoribonucleases; D005095:Exoribonucleases; C110250:RNase Z; D012260:Ribonucleases; C022535:exoribonuclease II; D016914:Ribonuclease H; C080868:ribonuclease R; C022537:ribonuclease E