Journal of Undergraduate Research
Keywords
vivo specific degradation, RNA substrates, endogenous tRNA, endoribonuclease
College
Life Sciences
Department
Microbiology and Molecular Biology
Abstract
The enzyme tRNA 3’ Processing Endoribonuclease (3’tRNase) is suspected to be an enzyme responsible for 3’ end processing of various pre-tRNAs. Our lab has demonstrated that RNAs containing a hairpin structure can be manipulated to appear as a “pre-tRNA” molecule and be recognized and cleaved by 3’tRNase. This is accomplished by the introduction of an RNA molecule that is complementary to an area of the target RNA that has a stable hairpin structure. The hairpin of a target RNA may mimic the T-stem loop of tRNA and the hybridizing RNA molecule may act as an acceptor-like stem, thereby fooling 3’tRNase to cleave the target RNA. Specific degradation of various pre-tRNAs as well as non-tRNA ribonucleic acids (targeted by small guide RNAs) have been shown to be cleaved by 3’tRNase in vitro. Potential therapeutic strategies using post-transcriptional regulation of genes to combat cancer and disease exist if similar 3’tRNase activity can be demonstrated in vivo.
Recommended Citation
Wesemann, Duane R.
(2013)
"In Vivo Specific Degradation of Selected RNA Substrates by Endogenous tRNA 3’ Processing Endoribonuclease,"
Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013:
Iss.
1, Article 1305.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/1305