Summary
The mitochondrial 9S and 12S RNAs from trypanosomes are the smallest known ribosomal RNAs (about 600 and 1150 nucleotides in length, respectively) and they exhibit the most extreme A+U content (80%). The nucleotide sequences of the genes for the 9S and 12S RNAs from three trypanosome species, Trypanosoma brucei, Crithidia fasciculata and Leishmania tarentolae have recently been determined. In this paper we identify primary and secondary stuctures in the trypanosomal 9S and 12S RNA molecules which are highly conserved among ribosomal RNAs from members of the three Primary Kingdoms. The presence of these conserved structural elements in the otherwise highly diverged trypanosomal mitochondrial ribosomal RNAs, indicates their fundamental role in ribosome function.
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© 1986 Plenum Press, New York
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Sloof, P., Benne, R., De Vries, B.F. (1986). The Extremely Small Mitochondrial Ribosomal RNAs from Trypanosomes. In: van Knippenberg, P.H., Hilbers, C.W. (eds) Structure and Dynamics of RNA. NATO ASI Series, vol 110. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5173-3_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5173-3_20
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