Analysis of mRNA decay and rRNA processing in Escherichia coli in the absence of RNase E‐based degradosome assembly

• Published in: Molecular microbiology Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 854 - 866
• Main Authors: Ow, Maria C., Liu, Qi, Kushner, Sidney R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science, Ltd 01.11.2000; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: degradosome; degradosomes; Endoribonucleases - genetics; Endoribonucleases - metabolism; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - genetics; Escherichia coli - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Multienzyme Complexes - genetics; Multienzyme Complexes - metabolism; Polyribonucleotide Nucleotidyltransferase - genetics; Polyribonucleotide Nucleotidyltransferase - metabolism; ribonuclease E; RNA Helicases - genetics; RNA Helicases - metabolism; RNA, Bacterial - genetics; RNA, Bacterial - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; RNA, Ribosomal - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal - metabolism; rne gene; rRNA
• ISSN: 0950-382X; 1365-2958
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2958.2000.02186.x

We demonstrate here that the assembly of the RNase E‐based degradosome of Escherichia coli is not required for normal mRNA decay in vivo. In contrast, deletion of the arginine‐rich RNA binding site (ARRBS) from the RNase E protein slightly impairs mRNA decay. When both the degradosome scaffold region and the ARRBS are missing, mRNA decay is dramatically slowed, but 9S rRNA processing is almost normal. An extensive RNase E truncation mutation (rneδ610) had a more pronounced mRNA decay defect at 37°C than the temperature‐sensitive rne‐1 allele at 44°C. Taken together, these data suggest that the inviability associated with inactivation of RNase E is not related to defects in either mRNA decay or rRNA processing.