TY - JOUR

T1 - The ability to form full-length intron RNA circles is a general property of nuclear group I introns

AU - Nielsen, Henrik

AU - Fiskaa, Tonje

AU - Birgisdottir, Asa Birna

AU - Haugen, Peik

AU - Einvik, Christer

AU - Johansen, Steinar

N1 - Keywords: Base Sequence; Cell Nucleus; DNA Primers; Exons; Hydrolysis; Introns; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutagenesis; Nucleic Acid Conformation; RNA; RNA Precursors; RNA Splicing

PY - 2003

Y1 - 2003

N2 - In addition to splicing, group I intron RNA is capable of an alternative two-step processing pathway that results in the formation of full-length intron circular RNA. The circularization pathway is initiated by hydrolytic cleavage at the 3' splice site and followed by a transesterification reaction in which the intron terminal guanosine attacks the 5' splice site presented in a structure analogous to that of the first step of splicing. The products of the reactions are full-length circular intron and unligated exons. For this reason, the circularization reaction is to the benefit of the intron at the expense of the host. The circularization pathway has distinct structural requirements that differ from those of splicing and appears to be specifically suppressed in vivo. The ability to form full-length circles is found in all types of nuclear group I introns, including those from the Tetrahymena ribosomal DNA. The biological function of the full-length circles is not known, but the fact that the circles contain the entire genetic information of the intron suggests a role in intron mobility.

AB - In addition to splicing, group I intron RNA is capable of an alternative two-step processing pathway that results in the formation of full-length intron circular RNA. The circularization pathway is initiated by hydrolytic cleavage at the 3' splice site and followed by a transesterification reaction in which the intron terminal guanosine attacks the 5' splice site presented in a structure analogous to that of the first step of splicing. The products of the reactions are full-length circular intron and unligated exons. For this reason, the circularization reaction is to the benefit of the intron at the expense of the host. The circularization pathway has distinct structural requirements that differ from those of splicing and appears to be specifically suppressed in vivo. The ability to form full-length circles is found in all types of nuclear group I introns, including those from the Tetrahymena ribosomal DNA. The biological function of the full-length circles is not known, but the fact that the circles contain the entire genetic information of the intron suggests a role in intron mobility.

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 14624003

VL - 9

SP - 1464

EP - 1475

JO - RNA

JF - RNA

SN - 1355-8382

IS - 12

ER -