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. 1993 Oct 11;21(20):4685–4689. doi: 10.1093/nar/21.20.4685

Artificial self-cleaving molecules consisting of a tRNA precursor and the catalytic RNA of RNase P.

Y Kikuchi 1, N Sasaki-Tozawa 1, K Suzuki 1
PMCID: PMC331491  PMID: 8233817

Abstract

We synthesized two types of chimeric RNAs between the catalytic RNA subunit of RNase P from Escherichia coli (M1 RNA) and a tRNA precursor (pre-tRNA); one had pre-tRNA at the 3' side to the M1 RNA (M1 RNA-pre-tRNA). The second had pre-tRNA at the 5' side of the M1 RNA (pre-tRNA-M1 RNA). Both molecules were self-cleaving RNAs. The self-cleavage of M1 RNA-pre-tRNA occurred at the normal site (5'-end of mature tRNA sequence) and proceeded under the condition of 10 mM Mg2+ concentration. This reaction at 10 mM Mg2+ was an intramolecular reaction (cis-cleavage), while, at 40 mM and 80 mM Mg2+, trans-cleavage partially occurred. The self-cleavage rate was strictly affected by the distance between the M1 RNA and the pre-tRNA in the molecule. The self-cleavage of pre-tRNA-M1 RNA occurred mainly at three sites within the mature tRNA sequence. This cleavage did not occur at 10 mM Mg2+. Use of M1 RNA-pre-tRNA molecule for the in vitro evolution of M1 RNA 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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