The Effect of Substrate Structure on the Cleavage Efficiency of TRNA 3′ Processing Endoribonuclease

Authors

Susanna M. Geary, Brigham Young University
Dr. Roger Kaspar, Brigham Young University

Keywords

substrate structure, cleavage efficienty, TRNA 3' processing, RNA heptamers

College

Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Abstract

Viruses insert DNA or RNA into host cells and use the cell’s resources to make proteins designed to propagate the virus. Viral proteins can cause disease, as can defective proteins from faulty or damaged genes. The enzyme, tRNA 3′ processing endoribonuclease (also called 3′ tRNase) can specifically cleave RNA that is made to resemble pre-tRNA (1). RNA heptamers can be engineered to form such pre-tRNA-resembling complexes by binding to a target RNA just downstream of a stable hairpin loop (fig. 1). Hence, pathogenic RNA could be targeted and destroyed, thereby decreasing the production of damaging proteins.

Recommended Citation

Geary, Susanna M. and Kaspar, Dr. Roger (2014) "The Effect of Substrate Structure on the Cleavage Efficiency of TRNA 3′ Processing Endoribonuclease," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2014: Iss. 1, Article 1155.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2014/iss1/1155