title: Bacillus subtilis MazF-bs (EndoA) is a UACAU-specific mRNA interferase.
abstract: MazF is an mRNA interferase which cleaves mRNAs at a specific sequence. Here, we show that in contrast to MazF-ec from Escherichia coli, which specifically cleaves ACA sequences, MazF-bs from Bacillus subtilis is an mRNA interferase that specifically cleaves a five-base sequence, UACAU. MazF homologues widely prevailing in Gram-positive bacteria were found to be highly homologous to MazF-bs, suggesting that they may also have similar cleavage specificity. This cleavage site is over-represented in the B. subtilis genes associated with biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, suggesting that MazF-bs may be involved in the regulation of the production of secondary metabolites.
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
authors.forename: Jung-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Masayori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inouye
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000502:physiology*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008660:Metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004722:Endoribonucleases