Year: 2003
Type: article
Abstract: Approx. 2% of the Neisseria meningitidis genome consists of small DNA insertion sequences known as Correia or nemis elements, which feature TIRs (terminal inverted repeats) of 26-27 bp in length. Elements interspersed with coding regions are co-transcribed with flanking genes into mRNAs, processed at double-stranded RNA structures formed by TIRs. N. meningitidis RNase III (endoribonuclease III) is sufficient to process nemis+ RNAs. RNA hairpins formed by nemis with the same termini (26/26 and 27/27 repeats) are cleaved. By contrast, bulged hairpins formed by 26/27 repeats inhibit cleavage, both in vitro and in vivo. In electrophoretic mobility shift assays, all hairpin types formed similar retarded complexes upon incubation with RNase III. The levels of corresponding nemis+ and nemis- mRNAs, and the relative stabilities of RNA segments processed from nemis+ transcripts in vitro, may both vary significantly.
Source: Biochemical Journal
DOI: 10.1042/bj20030533
Institution: University of Naples Federico II
Language: English
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2149094101