title: Leucyl-tRNA synthetase-dependent and -independent activation of a group I intron.
abstract: Leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRS) is an essential RNA splicing factor for yeast mitochondrial introns. Intracellular experiments have suggested that it works in collaboration with a maturase that is encoded within the bI4 intron. RNA deletion mutants of the large bI4 intron were constructed to identify a competently folded intron for biochemical analysis. The minimized bI4 intron was active in RNA splicing and contrasts with previous proposals that the canonical core of the bI4 intron is deficient for catalysis. The activity of the minimized bI4 intron was enhanced in vitro by the presence of the bI4 maturase or LeuRS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Michal T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Boniecki
authors.forename: Seung Bae
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Rho
authors.forename: Mikhail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tukalo
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Eliana P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Martinis
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006151:Guanosine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics*; D007700:Kinetics; D007935:Leucine-tRNA Ligase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D012326:RNA Splicing / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D006151:Guanosine; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases; C034038:mRNA maturase; D004722:Endoribonucleases; D007935:Leucine-tRNA Ligase; D008274:Magnesium