Premium
Alternative editing of cytochrome c oxidase III mRNA in trypanosome mitochondria generates protein diversity
Author(s) -
Ochsenreiter Torsten,
Hajduk Stephen L
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.1038/sj.embor.7400817
Subject(s) - rna editing , messenger rna , cytochrome c oxidase , rna , biology , mitochondrion , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , biochemistry , gene
Trypanosomes use RNA editing to produce most functional mitochondrial messenger RNA. Precise insertion and deletion of hundreds of uridines is necessary to make full‐length cytochrome c oxidase III (COXIII) mRNA. We show that COXIII mRNA can be alternatively edited by a mechanism using an alternative guide RNA to make a stable mRNA. This alternatively edited mRNA is translated to produce a unique protein that fractionates with mitochondrial membranes and colocalizes with mitochondrial proteins in situ . Alternative RNA editing represents a previously unknown mechanism generating protein diversity and, as such, represents an important function for RNA editing.