Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 11 May 1984:
Vol. 224. no. 4649, pp. 574 - 578
DOI: 10.1126/science.6200938
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Science, Vol 224, Issue 4649, 574-578
Copyright © 1984 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

A labile phosphodiester bond at the ligation junction in a circular intervening sequence RNA

AJ Zaug, Kent JR, and TR Cech

The excised intervening sequence of the Tetrahymena ribosomal RNA precursor mediates its own covalent cyclization in the absence of any protein. The circular molecule undergoes slow reopening at a single phosphodiester bond, the one that was formed during cyclization. The resulting linear molecule has 5'-phosphate and 3'-hydroxyl termini; these are unusual products for RNA hydrolysis but are typical of the other reactions mediated by this molecule. The reopened circle retains cleavage-ligation activity, as evidenced by its ability to undergo another round of cyclization and reopening. The finding that an RNA molecule can be folded so that a specific phosphate can be strained or activated helps to explain how the activation energy is lowered for RNA self-splicing. The proposed mechanisms may be relevant to several other RNA cleavage reactions that are RNA-mediated.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Tetrahymena thermophila and Candida albicans Group I intron-derived ribozymes can catalyze the trans-excision-splicing reaction.
P. P. Dotson II, A. K. Johnson, and S. M. Testa (2008)
Nucleic Acids Res. 36, 5281-5289
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Molecular recognition properties of IGS-mediated reactions catalyzed by a Pneumocystis carinii group I intron.
A. K. Johnson, D. A. Baum, J. Tye, M. A. Bell, and S. M. Testa (2003)
Nucleic Acids Res. 31, 1921-1934
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Circular Ribozymes Generated in Escherichia coli Using Group I Self-splicing Permuted Intron-Exon Sequences.
M. Puttaraju and M. D. Been (1996)
J. Biol. Chem. 271, 26081-26087
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
RNA editing: transfer of genetic information from gRNA to precursor mRNA in vitro.
S. Seiwert and K Stuart (1994)
Science 266, 114-117
   Abstract »    PDF »
A tertiary interaction in the Tetrahymena intron contributes to selection of the 5' splice site..
W D Downs and T R Cech (1994)
Genes & Dev. 8, 1198-1211
   Abstract »    PDF »
Site-specific cross-linking of mammalian U5 snRNP to the 5' splice site before the first step of pre-mRNA splicing..
J R Wyatt, E J Sontheimer, and J A Steitz (1992)
Genes & Dev. 6, 2542-2553
   Abstract »    PDF »
Interactions of small nuclear RNA's with precursor messenger RNA during in vitro splicing.
D. Wassarman and J. Steitz (1992)
Science 257, 1918-1925
   Abstract »    PDF »
Suppressors of a U4 snRNA mutation define a novel U6 snRNP protein with RNA-binding motifs..
K W Shannon and C Guthrie (1991)
Genes & Dev. 5, 773-785
   Abstract »    PDF »
Stereochemistry of RNA cleavage by the Tetrahymena ribozyme and evidence that the chemical step is not rate-limiting.
J. McSwiggen and T. Cech (1989)
Science 244, 679-683
   Abstract »    PDF »
Ribozymes and Their Medical Implications.
T. R. Cech (1988)
JAMA 260, 3030-3034
   Abstract »    PDF »
Determinants of the 3' splice site for self-splicing of the Tetrahymena pre-rRNA..
J V Price and T R Cech (1988)
Genes & Dev. 2, 1439-1447
   Abstract »    PDF »
Deletion of nonconserved helices near the 3' end of the rRNA intron of Tetrahymena thermophila alters self-splicing but not core catalytic activity..
E T Barfod and T R Cech (1988)
Genes & Dev. 2, 652-663
   Abstract »    PDF »
The chemistry of self-splicing RNA and RNA enzymes.
T. Cech (1987)
Science 236, 1532-1539
   Abstract »    PDF »
Structures Involved in Tetrahymena rRNA Self-splicing and RNA Enzyme Activity.
M.D. Been, E.T. Barfod, J.M. Burke, J.V. Price, N.K. Tanner, A.J. Zaug, and T.R. Cech (1987)
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 52, 147-157
   Abstract »    PDF »
Group II Intron Self-splicing: Development of Alternative Reaction Conditions and Identification of a Predicted Intermediate.
C.L. Peebles, E.J. Benatan, K.A. Jarrell, and P.S. Perlman (1987)
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 52, 223-232
   Abstract »    PDF »
Autolytic Processing of Dimeric Plant Virus Satellite RNA.
G. A. PRODY, J. T. BAKOS, J. M. BUZAYAN, I. R. SCHNEIDER, and G. BRUENING (1986)
Science 231, 1577-1580
   Abstract »    PDF »
The intervening sequence RNA of Tetrahymena is an enzyme.
A. Zaug and T. Cech (1986)
Science 231, 470-475
   Abstract »    PDF »
Oligomerization of intervening sequence RNA molecules in the absence of proteins.
A. Zaug and T. Cech (1985)
Science 229, 1060-1064
   Abstract »    PDF »
Coupling of Tetrahymena ribosomal RNA splicing to beta-galactosidase expression in Escherichia coli.
J. Price and T. Cech (1985)
Science 228, 719-722
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)