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. 1988 Oct;170(10):4625–4633. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.10.4625-4633.1988

Stabilization of discrete mRNA breakdown products in ams pnp rnb multiple mutants of Escherichia coli K-12.

C M Arraiano 1, S D Yancey 1, S R Kushner 1
PMCID: PMC211502  PMID: 2459106

Abstract

The degradation of mRNA in Escherichia coli is thought to occur through a series of endonucleolytic and exonucleolytic steps. By constructing a series of multiple mutants containing the pnp-7 (polynucleotide phosphorylase), rnb-500 (RNase II), and ams-1 (altered message stability) alleles, it was possible to study general mRNA turnover as well as the degradation of specific mRNAs. Of most interest was the ams-1 pnp-7 rnb-500 triple mutant in which the half-life of total pulse-labeled RNA increased three- to fourfold at the nonpermissive temperature. RNA-DNA hybridization analysis of several specific mRNAs such as trxA (thioredoxin), ssb (single-stranded-DNA-binding protein), uvrD (DNA helicase II), cat (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase), nusA (N utilization substance), and pnp (polynucleotide phosphorylase) demonstrated two- to fourfold increases in their chemical half-lives. A new method for high-resolution Northern (RNA) analysis showed that the trxA and cat mRNAs are degraded into discrete fragments which are significantly stabilized only in the triple mutant. A model for mRNA turnover is discussed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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