Processing of Archaebacterial Intron-Containing tRNA (Transfer Ribonucleic Acid) Gene Transcripts

摘要

The overall goal of this project is to develop an understanding of tRNA gene structure and transcript processing in the halophilic Archaebacteria. During the second year of these studies we have extended our analysis of the processing of the halobacterial intron containing tRNATrp precursor. Intron endonuclease has been found to have unique substrate recognition properties and progress has been made in developing a tRNA ligase assay using the products of this reaction. Intron endonuclease activity has also been detected in other Archaebacteria. Continued purification of RNaseP, the enzyme which removes 5' flanking sequences from tRNA primary transcripts, indicates that this enzyme may have a RNA component. Searches for stable intron containing precursor tRNAs in the halophilic Archaebacteria suggest that tRNATrp may be the only interrupted tRNA gene in these organisms. Keywords: Archaebacteria, Intron, RNA splicing, Halobacteria, tRNA, DNA sequencing. (kt)