Novel Eukaryotic Ribozymes adds one more feather to the hat
The concept of RNA world was proposed in the year 1986 by Walter Gilbert. The idea that RNA possess an intrinsic catalytic activity was proposes in the year 1967 by Carl Woose, Leslie Orgell and Francis Cric. In 1980s Sydney Altman and Thomas R. Cech individually identified catalytic active RNAs and this catalytic RNAs were later named as Ribozymes by Kelly Kruger et al
This articles describes the finding of a new hammer head ribozyme that is present at the 5'-untranslated region of C-type lectin 2 type (Clec2) mRNA sequence.This ribozyme has a self splicing capability and is capable of regulating the epression of Clec2 proteins.
Clec 2 genes codes for a group of Clec2 proteins responsible for the formation of various calcium dependant lectin like receptors expressed on the myeloid cells and natural killer cells (NK cells)
Another important application of Clec2 proteins are in osteoclast formation and remodelling. Osteoclasts are a group of cells formed by the fusion of monocytes and macrophage and these cells are involved in absorption of bone cells and tissues
This Clec 2 ribozyme shows a very distinct but interesting mode of self cleavage, assembly and action. This ribozyme is not present in the mRNA sequence as a single fragment unlike most of the hammer head ribozymes identified. The ribozyme sequence is separated by a non-ribozymal region these two fragments cleaves and separates out from the mRNA sequence and assemble to form a hammer head ribozymal structure which attaches itself to the 3’(UTR) of the Clec 2 genes thereby regulating the expression of the gene
The presence of such ribozymal sequences in mammalian genome suggests that all these organisms evolved from a common ancestor. In eukaryotes post transcriptional regulation of genes were thought to be carried out by only by mRNA stabilizing and de-stabilizing proteins. The presence of ribozymes that can regulate the gene is a key discovery and can be targeted to reduce the gene expression for research purposes as well as for therapeutic purposes
This field is a fairly unexplored area of biology, further understanding of the properties of DNA would reinforce the idea of RNA world and also might aid in filling many gaps in our knowledge of cell biology
This articles describes the finding of a new hammer head ribozyme that is present at the 5'-untranslated region of C-type lectin 2 type (Clec2) mRNA sequence.This ribozyme has a self splicing capability and is capable of regulating the epression of Clec2 proteins.
Clec 2 genes codes for a group of Clec2 proteins responsible for the formation of various calcium dependant lectin like receptors expressed on the myeloid cells and natural killer cells (NK cells)
Another important application of Clec2 proteins are in osteoclast formation and remodelling. Osteoclasts are a group of cells formed by the fusion of monocytes and macrophage and these cells are involved in absorption of bone cells and tissues
This Clec 2 ribozyme shows a very distinct but interesting mode of self cleavage, assembly and action. This ribozyme is not present in the mRNA sequence as a single fragment unlike most of the hammer head ribozymes identified. The ribozyme sequence is separated by a non-ribozymal region these two fragments cleaves and separates out from the mRNA sequence and assemble to form a hammer head ribozymal structure which attaches itself to the 3’(UTR) of the Clec 2 genes thereby regulating the expression of the gene
The presence of such ribozymal sequences in mammalian genome suggests that all these organisms evolved from a common ancestor. In eukaryotes post transcriptional regulation of genes were thought to be carried out by only by mRNA stabilizing and de-stabilizing proteins. The presence of ribozymes that can regulate the gene is a key discovery and can be targeted to reduce the gene expression for research purposes as well as for therapeutic purposes
This field is a fairly unexplored area of biology, further understanding of the properties of DNA would reinforce the idea of RNA world and also might aid in filling many gaps in our knowledge of cell biology