Publications

• RNase PH: an Escherichia coli phosphate-dependent nuclease distinct from polynucleotide phosphorylase.

  Deutscher M.P., Marshall G.T., Cudny H.

  Final trimming of the 3' terminus of tRNA precursors in Escherichia coli is thought to proceed by an exonucleolytic mechanism. However, mutant strains lacking as many as four exoribonucleases known to act on tRNA still grow normally and process tRNA normally. Extracts from such a multiple-RNase-de ... >> More

  Final trimming of the 3' terminus of tRNA precursors in Escherichia coli is thought to proceed by an exonucleolytic mechanism. However, mutant strains lacking as many as four exoribonucleases known to act on tRNA still grow normally and process tRNA normally. Extracts from such a multiple-RNase-deficient strain accurately mature tRNA precursors exonucleolytically in vitro in a reaction that requires inorganic phosphate. Here we show that this reaction is not due to polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) but, rather, that it is mediated by a phosphate-requiring exonuclease that we have named RNase PH. Purified PNPase is incapable of completely processing tRNA precursors, and extracts from a PNPase-strain retain full activity for phosphorolytic processing. Although both PNPase and RNase PH act in a phosphorolytic manner, they differ substantially in size and substrate specificity. RNase PH has a molecular mass of 45-50 kDa and favors tRNA precursors as substrates. The possible physiological role of RNase PH and the advantages of phosphorolytic processing are discussed. << Less

  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 85:4710-4714(1988) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• 3' processing of tRNA precursors in ribonuclease-deficient Escherichia coli. Development and characterization of an in vitro processing system and evidence for a phosphate requirement.

  Cudny H., Deutscher M.P.

  In order to determine the mechanism and enzyme(s) responsible for 3' processing of tRNA precursors, we have developed an in vitro processing system that uses as substrates two SP6 RNA polymerase-generated transcripts of the gene for tRNA(Tyrsu3)+ that contain 49 extra 5'-nucleotides and either 5 o ... >> More

  In order to determine the mechanism and enzyme(s) responsible for 3' processing of tRNA precursors, we have developed an in vitro processing system that uses as substrates two SP6 RNA polymerase-generated transcripts of the gene for tRNA(Tyrsu3)+ that contain 49 extra 5'-nucleotides and either 5 or 25 extra 3'-nucleotides. A high speed supernatant fraction from an Escherichia coli strain deficient in five ribonucleases was found to accurately process both tRNA precursors in this system to the size of mature tRNA(Tyr). Final 3' end processing of each precursor occurs in an exonucleolytic manner to generate the correct 3' terminus; however, a prior endonucleolytic cleavage also is observed in processing of the longer precursor. The system requires Mg2+ and works optimally at about 50 mM KCl and pH 8-9. Dialysis of the supernatant fraction leads to loss of processing activity but can be restored to normal by the addition of inorganic phosphate or arsenate. Furthermore, nucleoside diphosphates are a product of the processing reaction. These data indicate that 3' processing in RNase-deficient extracts involves a phosphorolytic reaction. On the other hand, phosphate is not required for processing in RNase+ extracts, although it does aid in processing of the longer precursor. The usefulness of this in vitro system for studies of tRNA processing and the identity of the phosphate-requiring enzyme are discussed. << Less

  J Biol Chem 263:1518-1523(1988) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]