Open AccessRNA 3’-terminal phosphate cyclases and cyclase-like proteins
Author(s) -
Witold Filipowicz
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
postępy biochemii
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.244
H-Index - 15
ISSN - 0032-5422
DOI - 10.18388/pb.2016_32
Subject(s) - rna , phosphodiester bond , biochemistry , archaea , phosphate , enzyme , nucleotide , cleavage (geology) , chemistry , ligase ribozyme , biology , ribozyme , gene , paleontology , fracture (geology)
RNA molecules bearing terminal 2’,3’-cyclic phosphate are quite common in nature. For example, 2’,3’-cyclic phosphate termini are produced during RNA cleavage by many en-doribonucleases either as intermediates or final products. Many RNA-based nucleases (ribo-zymes) also generate cyclic phosphate termini. However, cleavage reactions are not the only way in which RNAs bearing cyclic phosphate ends are produced. They can also be generated by RNA 3’-terminal phosphate cyclases (RtcA), a family of enzymes conserved in eukaryotes, bacteria, and archaea. These enzymes catalyze the ATP-dependent conversion of the 3’-phos-phate to a 2’,3’-cyclic phosphodiester at the end of RNA. In this article, I review knowledge about the biochemistry and structure of RNA 3’-phosphate cyclases and also proteins of the RNA cyclase-like (Rcl1) family, and discuss their documented or possible roles in different RNA metabolic reactions.