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Ribosomal RNA pseudouridines and pseudouridine synthases
Author(s) -
Ofengand James
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(02)02305-0
Subject(s) - pseudouridine , archaea , ribosomal rna , rna , ribosomal protein , 50s , pyrococcus furiosus , biology , biochemistry , 5.8s ribosomal rna , protein subunit , computational biology , genetics , chemistry , ribosome , gene , transfer rna
Pseudouridines are found in virtually all ribosomal RNAs but their function is unknown. There are four to eight times more pseudouridines in eukaryotes than in eubacteria. Mapping 19 Haloarcula marismortui pseudouridines on the three‐dimensional 50S subunit does not show clustering. In bacteria, specific enzymes choose the site of pseudouridine formation. In eukaryotes, and probably also in archaea, selection and modification is done by a guide RNA–protein complex. No unique specific role for ribosomal pseudouridines has been identified. We propose that pseudouridine's function is as a molecular glue to stabilize required RNA conformations that would otherwise be too flexible.