Lopes RR, Kessler AC, Polycarpo C, Alfonzo, JD
Abstract
All
organisms encode transfer RNAs (tRNAs) that are synthesized as precursor
molecules bearing extra sequences at their 5' and 3' ends; some tRNAs
also contain introns, which are removed by splicing. Despite commonality
in what the ultimate goal is (i.e., producing a mature tRNA),
mechanistically, tRNA splicing differs between Bacteria and Archaea or
Eukarya. The number and position of tRNA introns varies between
organisms and even between different tRNAs within the same organism,
suggesting a degree of plasticity in both the evolution and persistence
of modern tRNA splicing systems. Here we will review recent findings
that not only highlight nuances in splicing pathways but also provide
potential reasons for the maintenance of introns in tRNA. Recently,
connections between defects in the components of the tRNA splicing
machinery and medically relevant phenotypes in humans have been
reported. These differences will be discussed in terms of the importance
of splicing for tRNA function and in a broader context on how tRNA
splicing defects can often have unpredictable consequences.
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© 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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© 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
