title: Novel essential gene Involved in 16S rRNA processing in Escherichia coli.
abstract: Biogenesis of ribosomes is a complex process mediated by many factors. While its transcription proceeds, ribosomal RNA (rRNA) folds itself into a characteristic three-dimensional structure through interaction with ribosomal proteins, during which its ends are processed. Here, we show that the essential protein YqgF, a RuvC family protein with an RNase-H-like motif, is involved in the processing of pre-16S rRNA during ribosome maturation. Indeed, pre-16S rRNA accumulated in cells of a temperature-sensitive yqgF mutant (yqgF(ts)) cultured at a non-permissive temperature. In addition, purified YqgF was shown to process the 5' end of pre-16S rRNA within 70S ribosomes in vitro. Mass spectrometry analysis of the total proteins in the yqgF(ts) mutant cells showed that the expression of genes containing multiple Shine-Dalgarno-like sequences was observed to be lower than in wild type. These results are interpreted to indicate that YqgF is involved in a novel enzymic activity necessary for the processing of pre-16S rRNA, thereby affecting elongation of translation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate Schools of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurata
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate Schools of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical College, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan City 704, Taiwan; Infectious Disease and Signal Transduction Center, Medical College, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan City 704, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Graduate Schools of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan.
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taoka
authors.affiliation: Genetic Informatics Laboratory, Genetic Strains Research Center, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Graduate Schools of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Isobe
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate Schools of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan. Electronic address: jkato@tmu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Jun-Ichi
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020043:Genes, Essential; D009154:Mutation; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000235:genetics*; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional / Q000235:genetics*; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases; C470945:YqgF protein, E coli
keywords: 16S rRNA; E. coli; YqgF; essential gene; rRNA processing