Characterization of an RNase P activity from HeLa cell mitochondria. Comparison with the cytosol RNase P activity

Eukaryotic pre-tRNA 5' processing nuclease: copurification with a complex cylindrical particle

In eukaryotes pre-tRNA species are processed at the 5' end by an endonuclease. Here we describe the first characterization of the structure of a eukaryotic pre-tRNA 5' processing endonuclease. The 5' pre-tRNAase, isolated from X. laevis ovaries, copurifies with a 16S macromolecular complex consisting of at least 14 polypeptides ranging in MW from about 20,000 to 32,000. These polypeptides comprise a cylindrical particle, apparently organized as a stack of four rings, similar or identical to a ubiquitous eukaryotic subcellular particle described in the literature over the past 15 years. Similar copurification is observed for the enzyme from HeLa cells, suggesting that the X. laevis enzyme is representative of a general class of eukaryotic pre-tRNA 5' processing nuclease.

Reconstitution of RNAase P activity using inactive subunits from E. coli and HeLa cells

HeLa cell RNAase P activity found in the flow-through of anti-Sm affinity columns can be separated into inactive RNA and protein components. These components can be used to reconstitute active hybrid enzyme complexes with purified subunits from E. coli RNAase P. The RNA in the HeLa cell fractions employed is enriched for species between 85 and 115 nucleotides long. This reconstitution assay is a convenient means of purifying the functional RNA and protein of HeLa cell RNAase P. Probes derived from the genes for the subunits of E. coli RNAase P hybridize to genomic DNA of gram-negative prokaryotic organisms, but no positive signals are seen with genomic DNA from a variety of eukaryotic organisms.

RNA catalysis and the origin of life

Until the discovery of catalytic RNAs, first the self-splicing intron in Tetrahymena and then the bacterial RNAse P, cellular enzymes had always seemed to be protein in nature. The recognition that RNA can catalytically make and break phosphodiester bonds simplifies some of the assumptions required of a rudimentary self-replicating entity. Available information on the chemistry of RNA-catalyzed reactions is reviewed, with particular attention to self-splicing introns and tRNA processing by RNase P. An explicit model for a self-replicating RNA is described. The model postulates a nucleotide binding/polymerization site in the RNA, and takes advantage of intrinsic fluidity in RNA higher order structure to dissociate parent and progeny complementary strands.