RNA Post-transcriptional Modifications of an Early-Stage Large Subunit Ribosomal Intermediate
Protein production by the ribosomes is fundamental to life and proper assembly of the ribosome is required for protein production. The RNA, which is post-transcriptionally modified, provides the platform for ribosome assembly. Thus, a complete understanding of ribosome assembly requires the determination of the RNA post-transcriptional modifications in all the ribosome assembly intermediates and on each pathway. There are 26 RNA post-transcriptional modifications in 23S RNA of the mature Escherichia coli (E.coli) large ribosomal subunit. The levels of these modifications have been investigated extensively only for a small number of large subunit intermediates and under a limited number of cellular and environmental conditions. In this study we determine the level of incorporations of 2-methyl adenosine, 3-methyl pseudouridine, 5-hydroxycytosine and eight pseudouridines in an early-stage E.coli  large subunit assembly intermediate with a sedimentation coefficient of 27S. The 27S intermediate is one of three large subunit intermediates accumulated in E.coli  cells lacking the DEAD-box RNA helicase DbpA and expressing the helicase inactive R331A DbpA construct. The majority of the investigated modifications are incorporated into the 27S large subunit intermediate to similar levels as in the mature 50S large subunit, indicating that these early modifications or the enzymes that incorporate them have important roles in the initial events of large subunit ribosome assembly. Overall design: 27S ribosomal particles were treated with CMCT and NaHCO3 (2 replicates), or NaHCO3 alone (1 replicate).