Abstract
A 3′-end proximal segment of most of the putative mRNAs encoded in the heavy strand of HeLa cell mtDNA has been partially sequenced and aligned with the DNA sequence. In all cases, the 3′-end nucleotide of the individual mRNA coding sequences has been found to be immediately contiguous to a tRNA gene or another mRNA coding sequence. These and previous results indicate that the heavy (H) strand sequences coding for the rRNA, poly (A)-containing RNA and tRNA species form a continuum extending over almost the entire length of this strand. We propose that the H strand is transcribed into a single polycistronic RNA molecule, which is processed later into mature species by precise endonucleolytic cleavages which occur, in most cases, immediately before and after a tRNA sequence.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Attardi, G. et al. in The Organization and Expression of the Mitochondrial Genome (eds Kroon, A. M. & Saccone, C.) 109–119 (North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1980).
Ojala, D., Mertel, C., Gelfand, R. & Attardi, G. Cell 22, 393–403 (1980).
Barrell, B. G., Bankier, A. T. & Drouin, J. Nature 282, 189–194 (1979).
Eperon, I. C., Anderson, S. & Nierlich, D. P. Nature 286, 450–467 (1980).
Sanger, F., Coulson, A. R., Barrell, B. G., Smith, A. J. H. & Roe, B. A. J. molec. Biol. 143, 161–178 (1980).
Ojala, D., Montoya, J. & Attardi, G. Nature 287, 79–82 (1980).
Montoya, J., Ojala, D. & Attardi, G. Nature 290, 465–470 (1981).
Crews, S. & Attardi, G. Cell 19, 775–784 (1980).
Cheng, C. D. et al. J. molec. Biol. 107, 527–547 (1976).
Brownlee, G. G. & Cartwright, E. M. J. molec. Biol. 114, 93–117 (1977).
Symons, H. R. Nucleic Acids Res. 7, 825–837 (1979).
Mills, D. R., Dobkin, C. & Kramer, F. R. Cell 15, 541–550 (1978).
Dubin, D. T. & Baer, R. J. in The Organization and Expression of the Mitochondrial Genome (eds Kroon, A. M. & Saccone, D.) (North-Holland, Amsterdam, in the press).
Van Etten, R. A., Walberg, M. W. & Clayton, D. A. Cell 22, 157–170 (1980).
Ojala, D. & Attardi, G. J. molec. Biol. 138, 411–420 (1980).
Barrell, B. G. et al. in 31st Mosbach Colloquium biol. Chem. Organelle Formation (eds Weiss, H. & Sebald, W.) (Springer, Berlin, in the press).
Barrell, B. G. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 3164–3166 (1980).
Cantatore, P. & Attardi, G. Nucleic Acids Res. 8, 2605–2624 (1980).
Amalric, F., Merkel, C., Gelfand, R. & Attardi, G. J. molec. Biol. 118, 1–25 (1978).
Fukada, K. & Abelson, J. J. molec. Biol. 139, 377–391 (1980).
Robertson, H., Altman, S. & Smith, J. J. biol. Chem. 247, 5243–5251 (1952).
Schedl, P., Primakoff, P. & Roberts, J. Brookhaven Symp. Biol. 26, 53–76 (1974).
Stark, B. C., Kole, R., Bowman, E. J. & Altman, S. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 3717–3721 (1978).
Garber, R. L. & Altman, S. Cell 17, 389–397 (1979).
Sakano, H., Yamada, S., Ikemura, T., Shimura, Y. & Ozeki, H. Nucleic Acids Res. 1, 355–371 (1979).
Bothwell, A. L. M., Stark, B. C. & Altman, S. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 73, 1912–1916 (1976).
Schmidt, F. J., Seidman, J. G. & Bock, R. M. J. biol. Chem. 251, 2440–2445 (1976).
Cleaves, G. R., Jones, T. & Dubin, D. T. Archs Biochem. Biophys. 175, 303–311 (1976).
Nevins, J. R. & Darnell, J. E. Jr Cell 15, 1477–1493 (1978).
Schibler, U., Marcu, K. B. & Perry, R. P. Cell 15, 1495–1509 (1978).
Lai, C. J., Dhar, R. & Khoury, G. Cell 14, 971–982 (1978).
Fraser, N. W., Kevins, J. R., Ziff, E. & Darnell, J. E. Jr J. molec. Biol. 129, 643–656 (1979).
Gelfand, R. A. & Attardi, G. (submitted).
Attardi, G. et al. 2nd int. Cong. Cell Biol., Berlin (Springer, Berlin, in the press).
Fraser, N. W., Sehgal, P. B. & Darnell, J. E. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 2571–2575 (1979).
Salditt-Georgieff, M., Harpold, M., Chen-Kiang, S. & Darnell, J. E. Jr Cell 19, 69–78 (1980).
Anderson, S. et al. Nature 290, 457–464 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ojala, D., Montoya, J. & Attardi, G. tRNA punctuation model of RNA processing in human mitochondria. Nature 290, 470–474 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/290470a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/290470a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Mechanisms and regulation of human mitochondrial transcription
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology (2024)
-
Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Complete Mitochondrial Genome of white-spotted Bamboo Shark (Chiloscyllium plagiosum)
Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences (2024)
-
Complete mitochondrial genome of Metathelazia capsulata (Pneumospiruridae) and comparison with other Spiruromorpha species
Parasitology Research (2024)
-
Novel mitochondrial genome rearrangements including duplications and extensive heteroplasmy could underlie temperature adaptations in Antarctic notothenioid fishes
Scientific Reports (2023)
-
Comparative genome and phylogenetic analysis revealed the complex mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic position of Conopomorpha sinensis Bradley
Scientific Reports (2023)