title: The RNase P family.
abstract: Ribonuclease P (RNase P) is a ribonucleoprotein comprised of a catalytic RNA subunit and one or several protein subunits. RNase P is best known for its role in 5'-processing of tRNA precursors. RNase P enzymes from almost all forms of life, including protein-synthesizing organelles, contain an RNase P with a conserved, homologous RNA. Five distinct structure classes of RNase P RNAs have been identified in bacteria and archaea; eukaryotic RNase P RNAs are not yet sufficiently well surveyed for structure classes to be defined. Here we will examine the structure variations in RNase P RNAs in bacteria, archaea, eukaryotes, plastids and mitochondria with special emphasis on the functional roles these unique secondary structures perform.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Signal Transduction, NIEHS, NC, USA.
authors.forename: J Christopher
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D001105:Archaea / Q000201:enzymology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology; D001483:Base Sequence; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000201:enzymology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D043262:Ribonuclease P / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D043262:Ribonuclease P