Identification of Tetrahymena pyriformis ribonuclease P subunits: RNA and protein Pop1

Abstract

Ribonuclease P (RNase P) removes 5’-leader sequences from precursor tRNAs and occurs in all three phylogenetic domains. The enzyme is universally composed of both protein and RNA moieties. RNase P requires both RNA and protein subunits for functioning in vivo. Little is known about the RNase P from ciliated protozoan. In this study, we have identified a Tetrahymena pyriformis sequence showing a homoly to Pop1, the largest protein subunit of RNase P. cDNA containing a complete coding sequence for the protein was cloned. We report the cloning and characterization of the gene encoding RNase P RNA and the present secondary structure modelį of the predicted RNA. Keywords: RNase P, pre-tRNA processing, Pop1