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Role of histidine 46 in the hydrolysis and the reverse transphosphorylation reaction of RNase Rh from Rhizopus niveus.

In order to study the reaction mechanism of RNase Rh from Rhizopus niveus, the rates of cleavage of four 2',3'-cyclic nucleotides by mutant enzymes of RNase Rh, H46F, H109F, E105Q, and K108L were measured. H46F is virtually inactive towards cyclic nucleotides, but H109F hydrolyzed these substrates at 0.7-4.5% of the rates of the native RNase Rh. The other mutants hydrolyzed 2',3'-cyclic nucleotides at 15-20% of the rates of the native enzyme. Relative enzymatic activities towards four cyclic nucleotides of H109F in the hydrolysis reaction (2nd step) were much higher than in the transphosphorylation reaction (the 1st step). In the presence of a 13-fold excess of uridine, H109F catalyzed the transphosphorylation reaction of 2',3'-cyclic AMP (A>p) to ApU. However, this reaction was not catalyzed by H46F mutant or native RNase Rh. These results showed that His46 is crucial to the hydrolysis reaction, and to the reversed reaction of the transphosphorylation reaction. We suggest that His46 in RNase Rh plays a major role in these reactions by acting as a base catalyst to activate water and the 5'-hydroxyl group of nucleosides, respectively.

Binding Sites↗

Identification of a member of a new RNase a family specifically secreted by epididymal caput epithelium.

In this study, we purified the first member of a new ribonuclease (RNase) A family from fluid of the proximal caput of the boar epididymis. This protein, named "Train A," is the most abundant compound secreted in the anterior part of the boar epididymis. After 2D electrophoresis, it is characterized by more than 10 isoforms ranging in size from 26 to 33 kDa and pI from 5 to 8.5. Several tryptic peptides were N-terminal sequenced, and an antiserum against one of these peptides was obtained. The protein was immunolocalized in the epididymal epithelium of the proximal caput, especially in the Golgi zone and the apical cytoplasm of the principal cells. In the lumen, spermatozoa were negative but droplets of reaction product were observed within the lumen. Full lengths of Train A cDNA were obtained from a lambdagt11 boar caput epididymis library and sequenced. The deduced protein is composed of 213 amino acids, including a 23-amino acid peptide signal and a potential N-glycosylation site. The mRNA of this protein has been retrieved and partially sequenced in the bull, horse, and ram, and homologous cDNA is found in databanks for the rat, mouse, and human. All the sequences are highly conserved between species. This protein and its mRNA are male-specific and exclusively expressed in the proximal caput of the epididymis, the only site where they have been found. Train A presents an RNase A family motif in its sequence. The RNase A family is a group of several short proteins (20-14 kDa) with greater and lesser degrees of ribonucleolytic activity and with supposed different roles in vivo. However, the presence of a long-conserved N-terminal specific sequence and the absence of RNase catalytic site for Train A indicate that Train A protein is a member of a new family of RNase A.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Gap-scan deletion analysis of Bacillus subtilis RNase P RNA.

We carried out an exhaustive deletion analysis of Bacillus subtilis ribonuclease P (RNase P) RNA, seeking sequences that are essential for its catalytic activity. A collection of partially deleted RNase P RNA genes was used to construct templates for synthesis, by in vitro transcription, of circularly permuted RNA molecules that lack various wild-type sequences. The mutant RNAs were assayed for catalytic activity in vitro, using a precursor of B. subtilis tRNAAsp as a substrate. Gap-scan deletion analysis revealed that most of the RNase P RNA sequence is important for activity; only two substantive deletions did not dramatically inhibit pre-tRNA processing in vitro. One part of the molecule (nucleotides 225-270) seemed particularly sensitive to deletion, but considering a collection of mutants with overlapping deletion gaps, it was possible to remove every residue in the RNase P RNA without completely abolishing its catalytic activity. Thus, the catalytic mechanism of RNase P does not depend absolutely on a single, particular nucleotide or local sequence for activity.

Bacillus subtilis↗

Alternative 3'-end processing of U5 snRNA by RNase III.

The cellular components required to form the 3' ends of small nuclear RNAs are unknown. U5 snRNA from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is found in two forms that differ in length at their 3' ends (U5L and U5S). When added to a yeast cell free extract, synthetic pre-U5 RNA bearing downstream genomic sequences is processed efficiently and accurately to generate both mature forms of U5. The two forms of U5 are produced in vitro by alternative 3'-end processing. A temperature-sensitive mutation in the RNT1 gene encoding RNase III blocks accumulation of U5L in vivo. In vitro, alternative cleavage of the U5 precursor by RNase III determines the choice between the two multistep pathways that lead to U5L and U5S, one of which (U5L) is strictly dependent on RNase III. These results identify RNase III as a trans-acting factor involved in 3'-end formation of snRNA and show how RNase III might regulate alternative RNA processing pathways.

Base Sequence↗

A role for the catalytic ribonucleoprotein RNase P in RNA polymerase III transcription.

The physical and functional links between transcription and processing machines of tRNA in the cell remain essentially unknown. We show here that whole HeLa extracts depleted of ribonuclease P (RNase P), a tRNA-processing ribonucleoprotein, exhibit a severe deficiency in RNA polymerase (Pol) III transcription of tRNA and other small, noncoding RNA genes. However, transcription can be restored by the addition of a purified holoenzyme. Targeted cleavage of the H1 RNA moiety of RNase P alters enzyme specificity and diminishes Pol III transcription. Moreover, inactivation of RNase P by targeting its protein subunits for destruction using small interfering RNAs inhibits Pol III function and Pol III-directed promoter activity in the cell. RNase P exerts its role in transcription through association with Pol III and chromatin of active tRNA and 5S rRNA genes. The results demonstrate a role for RNase P in Pol III transcription and suggest that transcription and early processing of tRNA may be coordinated.

Catalysis↗

Yeast site-specific ribonucleoprotein endoribonuclease MRP contains an RNA component homologous to mammalian RNase MRP RNA and essential for cell viability.

RNase MRP is a site-specific ribonucleoprotein endoribonuclease that cleaves RNA sequence complementary to mammalian mitochondrial origins of replication in a manner consistent with a role in primer RNA metabolism. The same activity in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has recently been identified; it cleaves an RNA substrate complementary to a yeast mitochondrial origin of replication at an exact site of linkage of RNA to DNA. We have purified this yeast enzyme further and detect a single, novel RNA of 340 nucleotides associated with the enzymatic activity. The single-copy nuclear gene for this RNA was sequenced and mapped to the right arm of chromosome XIV. The identity of the clone, as encoding the RNA copurifying with enzymatic activity, was confirmed by a match to the directly determined sequence of the RNA. The gene sequence also identified a 340-nucleotide RNA in total yeast RNA and in purified RNase MRP enzyme preparations. Inspection of the sequence of the yeast RNA revealed homologies to the RNA component of mouse RNase MRP, 49% overall with specific regions of much greater similarity. The flanking regions of the gene showed characteristics of an RNA polymerase II transcription unit, including a TATAAA box and a 7/8 match to the yeast cell cycle box UAS. The RNase MRP RNA gene was deleted by insertional replacement and found to be essential for cellular viability, indicating a critical nuclear role for RNase MRP.

Animals↗

RNase activity prevents the growth of a fungal pathogen in tobacco leaves and increases upon induction of systemic acquired resistance with elicitin.

The hypersensitive response and systemic acquired resistance (SAR) can be induced in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants by cryptogein, an elicitin secreted by Phytophthora cryptogea. Stem application of cryptogein leads to the establishment of acquired resistance to subsequent leaf infection with Phytophthora parasitica var nicotianae, the agent of the tobacco black shank disease. We have studied early events that occur after the infection and show here that a tobacco gene encoding the extracellular S-like RNase NE is expressed in response to inoculation with the pathogenic fungus. Upon induction of SAR with cryptogein, the accumulation of NE transcripts coincided with a rapid induction of RNase activity and with the increase in the activity of at least two different extracellular RNases. Moreover, exogenous application of RNase activity in the extracellular space of leaves led to a reduction of the fungus development by up to 90%, independently of any cryptogein treatment and in the absence of apparent necrosis. These results indicate that the up-regulation of apoplastic RNase activity after inoculation could contribute to the control of fungal invasion in plants induced to SAR with cryptogein.

Algal Proteins↗

Cloning and characterization of a gibberellin-induced RNase expressed in barley aleurone cells.

We cloned a cDNA for a gibberellin-induced ribonuclease (RNase) expressed in barley (Hordeum vulgare) aleurone and the gene for a second barley RNase expressed in leaf tissue. The protein encoded by the cDNA is unique among RNases described to date in that it contains a novel 23-amino acid insert between the C2 and C3 conserved sequences. Expression of the recombinant protein in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) suspension-cultured protoplasts gave an active RNase of the expected size, confirming the enzymatic activity of the protein. Analyses of hormone regulation of expression of mRNA for the aleurone RNase revealed that, like the pattern for alpha-amylase, mRNA levels increased in the presence of gibberellic acid, and its antagonist abscisic acid prevented this effect. Quantitative studies at early times demonstrated that cycloheximide treatment of aleurone layers increased mRNA levels 4-fold, whereas a combination of gibberellin plus cycloheximide treatment was required to increase alpha-amylase mRNA levels to the same extent. These results are consistent with loss of repression as an initial effect of gibberellic acid on transcription of those genes, although the regulatory pathways for the two genes may differ.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Genes with Homology to Fungal and S-Gene RNases Are Expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The only RNase genes that have been cloned from higher plants are those expressed in species that are known to exhibit self-incompatibility, such as the S genes of Nicotiana alata. In this report, we investigated whether the expression of this particular type of RNase gene is restricted to self-incompatible species, or if similar genes are expressed in other plants. Using a polymerase chain reaction approach we have identified a set of three putative RNase genes in the self-compatible plant Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. ecotype Columbia. These A. thaliana genes, designated RNS1, RNS2, and RNS3, do not cross-hybridize to each other, and their products are homologous to both the S-gene RNases of N. alata and a set of related fungal enzymes. The A. thaliana RNS1, RNS2, and RNS3 genes encode transcripts of 1.1, 1.3, and 1.1 kilobases, respectively, and of the three genes, RNS2 is the most highly expressed in whole plants. The identification of the RNS genes in a self-compatible species suggests that this class of RNases is of general significance in RNA catabolism in higher plants.

Journal Article↗

S RNase and Interspecific Pollen Rejection in the Genus Nicotiana: Multiple Pollen-Rejection Pathways Contribute to Unilateral Incompatibility between Self-Incompatible and Self-Compatible Species.

In self-incompatible (SI) plants, the S locus acts to prevent growth of self-pollen and thus promotes outcrossing within the species. Interspecific crosses between SI and self-compatible (SC) species often show unilateral incompatibility that follows the SI x SC rule: SI species reject pollen from SC species, but the reciprocal crosses are usually compatible. The general validity of the SI x SC rule suggests a link between SI and interspecific pollen rejection; however, this link has been questioned because of a number of exceptions to the rule. To clarify the role of the S locus in interspecific pollen rejection, we transformed several Nicotiana species and hybrids with genes encoding SA2 or SC10 RNase from SI N. alata. Compatibility phenotypes in the transgenic plants were tested using pollen from three SC species showing unilateral incompatibility with N. alata. S RNase was implicated in rejecting pollen from all three species. Rejection of N. plumbaginifolia pollen was similar to S allele-specific pollen rejection, showing a requirement for both S RNase and other genetic factors from N. alata. In contrast, S RNase-dependent rejection of N. glutinosa and N. tabacum pollen proceeded without these additional factors. N. alata also rejects pollen from the latter two species through an S RNase-independent mechanism. Our results implicate the S locus in all three systems, but it is clear that multiple mechanisms contribute to interspecific pollen rejection.

Journal Article↗

Recognition of RNase Sa by the inhibitor barstar: structure of the complex at 1.7 A resolution.

We report the 1.7 A resolution structure of RNase Sa complexed with the polypeptide inhibitor barstar. The crystals are in the hexagonal space group P65 with unit-cell dimensions a = b = 56.9, c = 135.8 A and the asymmetric unit contains one molecule of the complex. RNase Sa is an extracellular microbial ribonuclease produced by Streptomyces aureofaciens. Barstar is the natural inhibitor of barnase, the ribonuclease of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. It inhibits RNase Sa and barnase in a similar manner by steric blocking of the active site. The structure of RNase Sa is very similar to that observed in crystals of the native enzyme and its complexes with nucleotides. Barstar retains the structure found in its complex with barnase. The accessible surface area of protein buried in the complex is about 300 A2 smaller and there are fewer hydrogen bonds in the enzyme-inhibitor interface in RNase Sa-barstar than in barnase-barstar, providing an explanation of the reduced binding affinity in the former. Previous studies of barstar complexes have used mutants of the inhibitor and this is the first structure which includes wild-type barstar.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Dissection of the structural and functional role of a conserved hydration site in RNase T1.

The reoccurrence of water molecules in crystal structures of RNase T1 was investigated. Five waters were found to be invariant in RNase T1 as well as in six other related fungal RNases. The structural, dynamical, and functional characteristics of one of these conserved hydration sites (WAT1) were analyzed by protein engineering, X-ray crystallography, and (17)O and 2H nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion (NMRD). The position of WAT1 and its surrounding hydrogen bond network are unaffected by deletions of two neighboring side chains. In the mutant Thr93Gln, the Gln93N epsilon2 nitrogen replaces WAT1 and participates in a similar hydrogen bond network involving Cys6, Asn9, Asp76, and Thr91. The ability of WAT1 to form four hydrogen bonds may explain why evolution has preserved a water molecule, rather than a side-chain atom, at the center of this intricate hydrogen bond network. Comparison of the (17)O NMRD profiles from wild-type and Thr93Gln RNase T1 yield a mean residence time of 7 ns at 27 degrees C and an orientational order parameter of 0.45. The effects of mutations around WAT1 on the kinetic parameters of RNase T1 are small but significant and probably relate to the dynamics of the active site.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗

Decay of the IS10 antisense RNA by 3' exoribonucleases: evidence that RNase II stabilizes RNA-OUT against PNPase attack.

RNA-OUT, the 69-nucleotide antisense RNA that regulates Tn10/IS10 transposition folds into a simple stem-loop structure. The unusually high metabolic stability of RNA-OUT is dependent, in part, on the integrity of its stem-domain: mutations that disrupt stem-domain structure (Class II mutations) render RNA-OUT unstable, and restoration of structure restores stability. Indeed, there is a strong correlation between the thermodynamic and metabolic stabilities of RNA-OUT. We show here that stem-domain integrity determines RNA-OUT's resistance to 3' exoribonucleolytic attack: Class II mutations are almost completely suppressed in Escherichia coli cells lacking its principal 3' exoribonucleases, ribonuclease II (RNase II) and polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase). RNase II and PNPase are individually able to degrade various RNA-OUT species, albeit with different efficiencies: RNA-OUT secondary structure provides greater resistance to RNase II than to PNPase. Surprisingly, RNA-OUT is threefold more stable in wild-type cells than in cells deficient for RNase II activity, suggesting that RNase II somehow lessens PNPase attack on RNA-OUT. We discuss how this might occur. We also show that wild-type RNA-OUT stability changes only two-fold across the normal range of physiological growth temperatures (30-44 degrees C) in wild-type cells, which has important implications for IS10 biology.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PNPase modulates RNase II expression in Escherichia coli: implications for mRNA decay and cell metabolism.

PNPase and RNase II are the key regulatory exonucleases controlling mRNA decay in Escherichia coli. The rnb transcripts were found to proceed through the terminator and PNPase was found to be involved in the 3' to 5' degradation of rnb mRNA. Analysis of these longer 3' termini revealed that they are located in UA-rich regions. Comparison of single and double mutants suggested that PNPase and RNase II could have different roles in the degradation of these unstructured regions. We have shown that RNase II levels can vary over a fivefold range in haploid cells and that its expression depends on PNPase levels. PNPase-deficient strains were found to have a 2-2.5-fold increase in RNase II activity, while PNPase-overproducing strains reduced the rnb message and RNase II levels. Conversely, the amount of PNPase in the rnb deletion strain was approximately twofold higher than that in the wild-type strain. These observations suggest that the two main exonucleases are inter-regulated through a fine tuning mechanism. We discuss the implications of these results with regard to mRNA degradation and cell metabolism.

Base Sequence↗

The RNase E of Escherichia coli has at least two binding sites for DEAD-box RNA helicases: functional replacement of RhlB by RhlE.

The non-catalytic region of Escherichia coli RNase E contains a protein scaffold that binds to the other components of the RNA degradosome. Alanine scanning yielded a mutation, R730A, that disrupts the interaction between RNase E and the DEAD-box RNA helicase, RhlB. We show that three other DEAD-box helicases, SrmB, RhlE and CsdA also bind to RNase E in vitro. Their binding differs from that of RhlB because it is not affected by the R730A mutation. Furthermore, the deletion of residues 791-843, which does not affect RhlB binding, disrupts the binding of SrmB, RhlE and CsdA. Therefore, RNase E has at least two RNA helicase binding sites. Reconstitution of a complex containing the protein scaffold of RNase E, PNPase and RhlE shows that RhlE can furnish an ATP-dependent activity that facilitates the degradation of structured RNA by PNPase. Thus, RhlE can replace the function of RhlB in vitro. The results in the accompanying article show that CsdA can also replace RhlB in vitro. Thus, RhlB, RhlE and CsdA are interchangeable in in vitro RNA degradation assays.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Transfer RNA precursors are accumulated in Escherichia coli in the absence of RNase E.

A temperature-sensitive Escherichia coli mutant, which contains a heat-labile RNase E, fails to produce 5-S rRNA at a non-permissive temperature. It accumulates a number of RNA molecules in the 4-12-S range. One of these molecules, a 9-S RNA, is a precursor to 5-S rRNA [Ghora, B. K. and Apirion, D. (1978) Cell, 15, 1055-1056]. These molecules were purified and processed in a cell-free system. Some of these RNA molecules, after processing, give rise to products the size of transfer RNA, but not to 5-S-rRNA. Further characterization of the processed products of one such precursor molecule shows that it contains tRNA1Leu and tRNA1His. RNase E is necessary but not sufficient for the processing of this molecule to mature tRNAs in vitro. The accumulation of such tRNA precursors in an RNase E mutant cell and the obligatory participation of RNase E in its processing indicate that RNase E functions in the maturation of transfer RNAs as well as of 5-S rRNA.

Base Sequence↗

Contribution of Tyr712 and Phe716 to the activity of human RNase L.

Ribonuclease L (RNase L) is a key enzyme in the 2-5A host defense system, and its activity is strictly regulated by an unusual 2',5'-linked oligoadenylate (2-5A). A bipartite model, in which the N-terminal half of RNase L is responsible for the 2-5A binding and the C-terminal half alone is able to hydrolyse the substrate RNA, has been proposed on the basis of the results of deletion mutant analyses [Dong, B. & Silverman, R.H. (1997) J. Biol. Chem.272, 22236-22242]. Above all, the region between Glu711 and His720 was revealed to be essential for RNA binding and/or hydrolysis. To dissect the function of the region, we performed scanning mutagenesis over the 10 residues of glutathione S-transferase (GST)-fusion RNase L. Among the single amino acid mutants examined, Y712A and F716A resulted in a significant decrease of RNase activity with a reduced RNA binding acitivity. The losses of the RNase activity were not restored by its conservative mutation, whereas the RNA binding activity was enhanced in the case of Y712F. These results indicate that both Tyr712 and Phe716 provide the enzyme with a RNA binding activity and catalytic environment.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Determinant role of E. coli RNase III in the decay of both specific and heterologous mRNAs.

A comparative analysis of mRNA decay was carried out in Escherichia coli using the wild-type and an isogenic RNase III deletion strain. We have studied the mRNA degradation from the Escherichia coli gene bolA, the Lactococcus lactis biovar diacetylactis citQRP operon and the Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough gene cyc. As seen by a dramatic stabilization of the specific mRNAs in the mutant strain, RNase III was crucial for the decay process of these three messages. Since RNase III, unlike RNase E, is not essential for bacterial viability we think that there is potential for using RNase III mutant strains to modulate gene expression.

Bacterial Proteins↗