Methylation patterns of mycoplasma transfer and ribosomal ribonucleic acid

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The methylation patterns of tRNA and rRNA from 2 mycoplasmas, M. capricolum and Acholeplasma laidlawii, were examined. The tRNA from the 2 mycoplasmas resembled that of other prokaryotes in degree of methylation and general diversity of methylated nucleotides, and bore particular resemblance to Bacillus subtilis tRNA. The only unusual feature was the absence of m5U from M. capricolum tRNA. The methylation patterns of the mycoplasma 16S RNA were also typically prokaryotic, retaining the methylated residues previously shown to be highly conserved among eubacterial 16S RNA. The mycoplasma 23S RNA methylation patterns were quite unusual. M. capricolum 23S RNA contained only 4 methylated residues in stoichiometric amounts, all of which were ribose methylated. A. laidlawii 23S RNA contained the same ribose-methylated residues, plus in addition approximately 6 m5U residues. These findings are discussed in relation to the phylogenetic status of mycoplasma, and the possible role of RNA methylation.