Transcription initiation and RNA processing in the mitochondria of the red alga Chondrus crispus: convergence in the evolution of transcription mechanisms in mitochondria
The mitochondrial DNA (mt DNA) of the red alga Chondrus crispus is shown to be transcribed into two large RNA molecules. These primary transcripts are cleaved once, at the level of a tRNA, then the resulting products are processed via multiple maturation events into either mono- or poly-cistronic RN...
Published in: | Journal of Molecular Biology |
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Main Authors: | , , , , |
Other Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
HAL CCSD
1998
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://hal.science/hal-03238103 https://doi.org/10.1006/jmbi.1998.2112 |
Summary: | The mitochondrial DNA (mt DNA) of the red alga Chondrus crispus is shown to be transcribed into two large RNA molecules. These primary transcripts are cleaved once, at the level of a tRNA, then the resulting products are processed via multiple maturation events into either mono- or poly-cistronic RNAs. Transcripts were detected for all genes and open reading frames, except for rps11 and orf172. For both transcription units the initiation of transcription was mapped by in vitro RNA capping and primer extension experiments within inverse repeated sequences at the north pole of the molecule. Consistent with primer extension mapping, putative promoter motifs sharing significant similarities with both chicken and Xenopus mitochondrial promoters were found in the C. crispus mitochondrial genome. Altogether C. crispus mitochondrial DNA appears to be transcribed as animal mtDNA is, suggesting that transcription mechanisms in mitochondria are dependent on the overall organization of the mitochondrial genome irrespective of the eukaryotic phylogeny. |
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