title: A functional RNase P protein subunit of bacterial origin in some eukaryotes.
abstract: RNase P catalyzes 5'-maturation of tRNAs. While bacterial RNase P comprises an RNA catalyst and a protein cofactor, the eukaryotic (nuclear) variant contains an RNA and up to ten proteins, all unrelated to the bacterial protein. Unexpectedly, a nuclear-encoded bacterial RNase P protein (RPP) homolog is found in several prasinophyte algae including Ostreococcus tauri. We demonstrate that recombinant O. tauri RPP can functionally reconstitute with bacterial RNase P RNAs (RPRs) but not with O. tauri organellar RPRs, despite the latter's presumed bacterial origins. We also show that O. tauri PRORP, a homolog of Arabidopsis PRORP-1, displays tRNA 5'-processing activity in vitro. We discuss the implications of the striking diversity of RNase P in O. tauri, the smallest known free-living eukaryote.
authors: Department of Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors: Lien B
authors: LB
authors: Lai
authors: Pilar
authors: P
authors: Bernal-Bayard
authors: Gireesha
authors: G
authors: Mohannath
authors: Stella M
authors: SM
authors: Lai
authors: Venkat
authors: V
authors: Gopalan
authors: Agustín
authors: A
authors: Vioque
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005075:Biological Evolution; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D021122:Protein Subunits; D043262:Ribonuclease P / Q000502:physiology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D021122:Protein Subunits; D043262:Ribonuclease P