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RNase III processing of intervening sequences found in helix 9 of 23S rRNA in the alpha subclass of Proteobacteria.

ABSTRACT: We provide experimental evidence for RNase III-dependent processing in helix 9 of the 23S rRNA as a general feature of many species in the alpha subclass of Proteobacteria (alpha-Proteobacteria). We investigated 12 Rhodobacter, Rhizobium, Sinorhizobium, Rhodopseudomonas, and Bartonella strains. The processed region is characterized by the presence of intervening sequences (IVSs). The 23S rDNA sequences between positions 109 and 205 (Escherichia coli numbering) were determined, and potential secondary structures are proposed. Comparison of the IVSs indicates very different evolutionary rates in some phylogenetic branches, lateral genetic transfer, and evolution by insertion and/or deletion. We show that the IVS processing in Rhodobacter capsulatus in vivo is RNase III-dependent and that RNase III cleaves additional sites in vitro. While all IVS-containing transcripts tested are processed in vitro by RNase III from R. capsulatus, E. coli RNase III recognizes only some of them as substrates and in these substrates frequently cleaves at different scissile bonds. These results demonstrate the different substrate specificities of the two enzymes. Although RNase III plays an important role in the rRNA, mRNA, and bacteriophage RNA maturation, its substrate specificity is still not well understood. Comparison of the IVSs of helix 9 does not hint at sequence motives involved in recognition but reveals that the "antideterminant" model, which represents the most recent attempt to explain the E. coli RNase III specificity in vitro, cannot be applied to substrates derived from alpha-Proteobacteria.

SUBMITTER: Evguenieva-Hackenberg E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC111346 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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RNase III processing of intervening sequences found in helix 9 of 23S rRNA in the alpha subclass of Proteobacteria.

Evguenieva-Hackenberg E E Klug G G

Journal of bacteriology 20000901 17

We provide experimental evidence for RNase III-dependent processing in helix 9 of the 23S rRNA as a general feature of many species in the alpha subclass of Proteobacteria (alpha-Proteobacteria). We investigated 12 Rhodobacter, Rhizobium, Sinorhizobium, Rhodopseudomonas, and Bartonella strains. The processed region is characterized by the presence of intervening sequences (IVSs). The 23S rDNA sequences between positions 109 and 205 (Escherichia coli numbering) were determined, and potential seco ...[more]

PMID: 10940010

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Project description:Histophilus somni is a Gram-negative bacterial organism that acts as an opportunistic pathogen and is a fastidious member of the Pasteurellaceae family associated with diseases of respiratory, reproductive, cardiac, and other tissues of ruminants. We identified an intervening sequence (IVS) embedded in all five copies of the 23S rRNA gene in the closed genome sequence of the H. somni isolate USDA-ARS-USMARC-63250 that may play an important role in affecting the biology of the organism. Sequencing the RNA from this isolate shows that most of the IVS is cleaved from the transcript, resulting in independent fragments of this structural rRNA that remain functional within the bacterial ribosome. The IVS lies between positions 1170 and 1278 bp of the 3,017-bp gene and exhibits self-complementarity between its 5' and 3' ends that predicts a stem-loop structure interrupting helix-45 in the transcribed 23S rRNA. Excision removes a 94-nucleotide (nt) stem-loop structure that displays an unusual 1-nt 3' end overhang instead of the more typical 2-nt overhang commonly observed at the ends of other excised IVS stem-loops. A comparison with genomes of other H. somni isolates indicates that this IVS is highly conserved, with 31 of 32 complete genomes having similar interruptions of canonical 23S rRNA genes. The potential biological effects of either the released IVS or the fragmentation of the functional 23S rRNA are unknown, but fragmentation may enhance rRNA degradation in ways that contribute to the regulation of gene expression. IMPORTANCE The genome biology underlying H. somni virulence, pathogenicity, environmental adaptability, and broad tissue tropism is understood poorly. We identified a novel H. somni 109-nt IVS stem-loop structure, of which the central portion is excised from the 23S rRNA transcript, resulting in the fragmentation of this rRNA in the H. somni isolate USDA-ARS-USMARC-63250 and the release of a 94-nt structured RNA of unknown function. We determined that this peculiar rRNA biology is widespread among sequenced H. somni isolates, suggesting it has importance to organism biology. The fragmented 23S rRNA molecules remain functional in the ribosome, given that the isolate grows in culture. The structured excised portion of the IVS, presumably due to the action of the endoribonuclease III, has an unusual 1-nt 3' end overhang. This newly discovered H. somni 23S rRNA fragmentation may enhance rRNA degradation providing a previously unrecognized avenue for regulating H. somni biological processes.

Dataset Information

RNase III processing of intervening sequences found in helix 9 of 23S rRNA in the alpha subclass of Proteobacteria.

Publications

RNase III processing of intervening sequences found in helix 9 of 23S rRNA in the alpha subclass of Proteobacteria.

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