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Splicing and evolution of an unusually small group I intron

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Abstract

Introns are common in the rRNA gene loci of fungal genomes, but biochemical studies to investigate splicing are rare. Here, self-splicing of a very small (67 nucleotide) group I intron is demonstrated. The PaSSU intron (located within the rRNA small subunit gene of Phialophora americana) splices in vitro under group I intron conditions. Most group I ribozymes contain pairing regions P1–P10, with a conserved G·U pair at the 5′ splice site, and a G at the 3′ intron border. The PaSSU intron contains only P1, P7, and P10. While it contains the G·U pair at the 5′ splice, a U is found at the 3′ end of the intron instead of a G. Phylogenetic analysis places it within subgroup IC1, whose members are found in the nuclear rRNA genes of fungi. The structural elements are similar to those in the centermost regions of other group I introns. Its size can be explained by a single large deletion that removed P2 through much of P9. Part of the original P9 region has assumed the function of P7. Its small size and genealogy makes it an excellent model to study RNA catalysis and evolution.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. CJK Wang for providing cultures and identifications of fungi used in this study. LH was partly supported by an assistantship provided by the Center for Biomolecular Sciences at Bowling Green State University. LH thanks MT Iturriaga and L Ryvarden for their helpful discussions of fungal systematics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA

    Lorena Harris & Scott O. Rogers

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  1. Lorena Harris
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  2. Scott O. Rogers
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Correspondence to Scott O. Rogers.

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Communicated by A.J.P. Brown.

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Harris, L., Rogers, S.O. Splicing and evolution of an unusually small group I intron. Curr Genet 54, 213–222 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00294-008-0213-y

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