Journal
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
Volume 67, Issue 9, Pages 1447-1463Publisher
SPRINGER BASEL AG
DOI: 10.1007/s00018-010-0271-4
Keywords
CCA-adding enzyme; tRNA nucleotidyltransferase; tRNA; Template-independent polymerization
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
RNA polymerases are important enzymes involved in the realization of the genetic information encoded in the genome. Thereby, DNA sequences are used as templates to synthesize all types of RNA. Besides these classical polymerases, there exists another group of RNA polymerizing enzymes that do not depend on nucleic acid templates. Among those, tRNA nucleotidyltransferases show remarkable and unique features. These enzymes add the nucleotide triplet C-C-A to the 3'-end of tRNAs at an astonishing fidelity and are described as CCA-adding enzymes. During this incorporation of exactly three nucleotides, the enzymes have to switch from CTP to ATP specificity. How these tasks are fulfilled by rather simple and small enzymes without the help of a nucleic acid template is a fascinating research area. Surprising results of biochemical and structural studies allow scientists to understand at least some of the mechanistic principles of the unique polymerization mode of these highly unusual enzymes.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available