title: Heterodimer-based analysis of subunit and domain contributions to double-stranded RNA processing by Escherichia coli RNase III in vitro.
abstract: Members of the RNase III family are the primary cellular agents of dsRNA (double-stranded RNA) processing. Bacterial RNases III function as homodimers and contain two dsRBDs (dsRNA-binding domains) and two catalytic sites. The potential for functional cross-talk between the catalytic sites and the requirement for both dsRBDs for processing activity are not known. It is shown that an Escherichia coli RNase III heterodimer that contains a single functional wt (wild-type) catalytic site and an inactive catalytic site (RNase III[E117A/wt]) cleaves a substrate with a single scissile bond with a k(cat) value that is one-half that of wt RNase III, but exhibits an unaltered K(m). Moreover, RNase III[E117A/wt] cleavage of a substrate containing two scissile bonds generates singly cleaved intermediates that are only slowly cleaved at the remaining phosphodiester linkage, and in a manner that is sensitive to excess unlabelled substrate. These results demonstrate the equal probability, during a single binding event, of placement of a scissile bond in a functional or nonfunctional catalytic site of the heterodimer and reveal a requirement for substrate dissociation and rebinding for cleavage of both phosphodiester linkages by the mutant heterodimer. The rate of phosphodiester hydrolysis by RNase III[E117A/wt] has the same dependence on Mg(2+) ion concentration as that of the wt enzyme, and exhibits a Hill coefficient (h) of 2.0+/-0.1, indicating that the metal ion dependence essentially reflects a single catalytic site that employs a two-Mg(2+)-ion mechanism. Whereas an E. coli RNase III mutant that lacks both dsRBDs is inactive, a heterodimer that contains a single dsRBD exhibits significant catalytic activity. These findings support a reaction pathway involving the largely independent action of the dsRBDs and the catalytic sites in substrate recognition and cleavage respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Temple University, 1901 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
authors.forename: Wenzhao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Allen W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Nicholson
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D020134:Catalytic Domain; D019281:Dimerization; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism*; D043244:Ribonuclease III / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D043244:Ribonuclease III