title: Functional implications of ribosomal RNA methylation in response to environmental stress.
abstract: The study of post-transcriptional RNA modifications has long been focused on the roles these chemical modifications play in maintaining ribosomal function. The field of ribosomal RNA modification has reached a milestone in recent years with the confirmation of the final unknown ribosomal RNA methyltransferase in Escherichia coli in 2012. Furthermore, the last 10 years have brought numerous discoveries in non-coding RNAs and the roles that post-transcriptional modification play in their functions. These observations indicate the need for a revitalization of this field of research to understand the role modifications play in maintaining cellular health in a dynamic environment. With the advent of high-throughput sequencing technologies, the time is ripe for leaps and bounds forward. This review discusses ribosomal RNA methyltransferases and their role in responding to external stress in Escherichia coli, with a specific focus on knockout studies and on analysis of transcriptome data with respect to rRNA methyltransferases.
authors.affiliation: McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX , USA.
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Baldridge
authors.forename: Lydia M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Contreras
mesh_terms: D003080:Cold Temperature; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D008745:Methylation; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D008780:Methyltransferases