FIG 5.

A model for rRNA processing in B. burgdorferi. Structures of the rRNA double-stranded stem regions are shown; the 16S rRNA structure (left side) was predicted using MacVector and Mfold (84), and the 23S and 5S rRNA structures (right side) are based on the work of Schwartz et al. (20). Experimentally determined 5′ and 3′ ends for the rRNAs from the RACE data (Fig. 2) are represented by black arrows (wild type) and open arrows (rnc_Bb null mutant); 5′ and 3′ ends for 16S and 5S rRNAs are the same in the wild type and the rnc_Bb mutant.