Function of a novel tRNA-like small RNA

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24657114
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Molecular biology
• Research Institution: Hirosaki University
• Principal Investigator: MUTO Akira 弘前大学, 農学生命科学部, 研究員 (80034635)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): CHISATO Ushida 弘前大学, 農学生命科学部, 准教授 (50250593)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): HYOUTA Himeno 弘前大学, 農学生命科学部, 教授 (80208785)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: tRNA / mRNA / small RNA / E. coli / translation / transcription

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have found a tRNA-like sequence, which is highly conserved in the genomes of all the strains of Escherichia coli. Experiments to see the product of the sequence revealed that this is a part of a gene encoding a short protein. This is the first discovery of the bacteria gene including tRNA-like sequence.
We have prepared the mutant strain lacking the tRNA-like sequence, and the growth of the deletion mutant was compered with the wild-type strain under various culture conditions. The results showed that the deletion mutant cells are more sensitive to several antibiotics, such as streptomycin, kanamycine etc., which specifically interact with A-site of 30S ribosome, suggesting that the gene product is somehow involved in the translation process in the cell.

Free Research Field

分子遺伝学