Biomaterial Database

RNA ligase reaction products in plasmolyzed Escherichia coli cells infected by T4 bacteriophage. 1979

M David, and R Vekstein, and G Kaufmann

Searching for a physiological role of T4 RNA ligase [polyribonucleotide synthetase (ATP); poly(ribonucleotide):poly(ribonucleotide) ligase (AMP-forming), EC 6.5.1.3] activity, we developed an acellular system of plasmolyzed Escherichia coli cells infected by T4 bacteriophage. Upon incubation of this system with [gamma-32P]ATP, 32P was transferred into a large number of polyribonucleotides, mostly up to 300-400 residues long. The bulk of 32P in the product polyribonucleotides was found in 5'-terminal phosphate groups, suggesting that they originated by a phosphorylation reaction catalyzed by the endogenous polynucleotide kinase (EC 2.7.1.78). Indeed, these products were not seen in an acellular system from uninfected cells, and their amount and complexity increased with the progress of infection. Analysis of the 32P-labeled polyribonucleotide products by gel electrophoresis, either before or after digestion with alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1), revealed that a small fraction of the 32P resided in phosphodiester bonds of several tRNA-sized chains. This specific 32P transfer from [gamma-32P]ATP into phosphodiester bonds was apparently catalyzed by successive polynucleotide kinase and RNA ligase reactions. The possible relationship of the 32P transfer to RNA ligase was investigated next by using a system from cells infected with T4 am M69 (an amber mutant deficient in RNA ligase). Transfer of 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP into phosphodiester bonds was not detected in the am M69 system. However, addition of purified RNA ligase to the am M69 system restored the specific 32P transfer. A system from cells infected with T4 psu-b delta 33 (a deletion mutant lacking the entire tRNA region) sustained the specific 32P transfer into tRNA-sized products, indicating that they were not derived from transcripts of T4 tRNA genes. These data may reflect a role of RNA ligase in posttranscriptional conversion of presumably host polyribonucleotides into novel tRNA species during T4 infection.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010710	Phosphates	Inorganic salts of phosphoric acid.	Inorganic Phosphate,Phosphates, Inorganic,Inorganic Phosphates,Orthophosphate,Phosphate,Phosphate, Inorganic
D011116	Polynucleotide 5'-Hydroxyl-Kinase	An enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of a phosphate group to the 5'-terminal hydroxyl groups of DNA and RNA. EC 2.7.1.78.	Polynucleotide Hydroxylkinase,Polynucleotide Kinase,5'-Hydroxylpolynucleotide Kinase,DNA 5'-Hydroxylkinase,DNA Kinase,Polynucleotide 5'-Hydroxyl Kinase,Polynucleotide Hydroxykinase,5' Hydroxylpolynucleotide Kinase,5'-Hydroxyl Kinase, Polynucleotide,5'-Hydroxyl-Kinase, Polynucleotide,5'-Hydroxylkinase, DNA,DNA 5' Hydroxylkinase,Hydroxykinase, Polynucleotide,Hydroxylkinase, Polynucleotide,Kinase, 5'-Hydroxylpolynucleotide,Kinase, DNA,Kinase, Polynucleotide,Kinase, Polynucleotide 5'-Hydroxyl,Polynucleotide 5' Hydroxyl Kinase
D011118	Polynucleotide Ligases	Catalyze the joining of preformed ribonucleotides or deoxyribonucleotides in phosphodiester linkage during genetic processes. EC 6.5.1.	Polynucleotide Synthetases,Ligases, Polynucleotide,Synthetases, Polynucleotide
D011130	RNA Ligase (ATP)	An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of linear RNA to a circular form by the transfer of the 5'-phosphate to the 3'-hydroxyl terminus. It also catalyzes the covalent joining of two polyribonucleotides in phosphodiester linkage. EC 6.5.1.3.	Polyribonucleotide Synthetase,tRNA Ligase,Ligase, tRNA,Synthetase, Polyribonucleotide
D002474	Cell-Free System	A fractionated cell extract that maintains a biological function. A subcellular fraction isolated by ultracentrifugation or other separation techniques must first be isolated so that a process can be studied free from all of the complex side reactions that occur in a cell. The cell-free system is therefore widely used in cell biology. (From Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2d ed, p166)	Cellfree System,Cell Free System,Cell-Free Systems,Cellfree Systems,System, Cell-Free,System, Cellfree,Systems, Cell-Free,Systems, Cellfree
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D005814	Genes, Viral	The functional hereditary units of VIRUSES.	Viral Genes,Gene, Viral,Viral Gene
D000255	Adenosine Triphosphate	An adenine nucleotide containing three phosphate groups esterified to the sugar moiety. In addition to its crucial roles in metabolism adenosine triphosphate is a neurotransmitter.	ATP,Adenosine Triphosphate, Calcium Salt,Adenosine Triphosphate, Chromium Salt,Adenosine Triphosphate, Magnesium Salt,Adenosine Triphosphate, Manganese Salt,Adenylpyrophosphate,CaATP,CrATP,Manganese Adenosine Triphosphate,MgATP,MnATP,ATP-MgCl2,Adenosine Triphosphate, Chromium Ammonium Salt,Adenosine Triphosphate, Magnesium Chloride,Atriphos,Chromium Adenosine Triphosphate,Cr(H2O)4 ATP,Magnesium Adenosine Triphosphate,Striadyne,ATP MgCl2
D012343	RNA, Transfer	The small RNA molecules, 73-80 nucleotides long, that function during translation (TRANSLATION, GENETIC) to align AMINO ACIDS at the RIBOSOMES in a sequence determined by the mRNA (RNA, MESSENGER). There are about 30 different transfer RNAs. Each recognizes a specific CODON set on the mRNA through its own ANTICODON and as aminoacyl tRNAs (RNA, TRANSFER, AMINO ACYL), each carries a specific amino acid to the ribosome to add to the elongating peptide chains.	Suppressor Transfer RNA,Transfer RNA,tRNA,RNA, Transfer, Suppressor,Transfer RNA, Suppressor,RNA, Suppressor Transfer
D013604	T-Phages	A series of 7 virulent phages which infect E. coli. The T-even phages T2, T4; (BACTERIOPHAGE T4), and T6, and the phage T5 are called "autonomously virulent" because they cause cessation of all bacterial metabolism on infection. Phages T1, T3; (BACTERIOPHAGE T3), and T7; (BACTERIOPHAGE T7) are called "dependent virulent" because they depend on continued bacterial metabolism during the lytic cycle. The T-even phages contain 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in place of ordinary cytosine in their DNA.	Bacteriophages T,Coliphages T,Phages T,T Phages,T-Phage