An mRNA is capped by a 2', 5' lariat catalyzed by a group I-like ribozyme

TY - JOUR

T1 - An mRNA is capped by a 2', 5' lariat catalyzed by a group I-like ribozyme

AU - Nielsen, Henrik

AU - Westhof, Eric

AU - Johansen, Steinar

N1 - Keywords: Base Sequence; Catalysis; Endonucleases; Esterification; Introns; Molecular Sequence Data; RNA Caps; RNA Splicing; RNA, Catalytic

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - Twin-ribozyme introns are formed by two ribozymes belonging to the group I family and occur in some ribosomal RNA transcripts. The group I-like ribozyme, GIR1, liberates the 5' end of a homing endonuclease messenger RNA in the slime mold Didymium iridis. We demonstrate that this cleavage occurs by a transesterification reaction with the joining of the first and the third nucleotide of the messenger by a 2',5'-phosphodiester linkage. Thus, a group I-like ribozyme catalyzes an RNA branching reaction similar to the first step of splicing in group II introns and spliceosomal introns. The resulting short lariat, by forming a protective 5' cap, might have been useful in a primitive RNA world.

AB - Twin-ribozyme introns are formed by two ribozymes belonging to the group I family and occur in some ribosomal RNA transcripts. The group I-like ribozyme, GIR1, liberates the 5' end of a homing endonuclease messenger RNA in the slime mold Didymium iridis. We demonstrate that this cleavage occurs by a transesterification reaction with the joining of the first and the third nucleotide of the messenger by a 2',5'-phosphodiester linkage. Thus, a group I-like ribozyme catalyzes an RNA branching reaction similar to the first step of splicing in group II introns and spliceosomal introns. The resulting short lariat, by forming a protective 5' cap, might have been useful in a primitive RNA world.

U2 - 10.1126/science.1113645

DO - 10.1126/science.1113645

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 16141078

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 309

SP - 1584

EP - 1587

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5740

ER -