The 3′-untranslated region of cytochrome oxidase II mRNA functions in RNA editing of African trypanosomes exclusively as a cis guide RNA

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Abstract
RNA editing in trypanosomes is a post-transcriptional process responsible for correcting the coding sequences of many mitochondrial mRNAs. Uridines are specifically added or deleted from mRNA by an enzymatic cascade in which a pre-edited mRNA is specifically cleaved, uridines are added or removed, and the corrected mRNA is ligated. The process is directed by RNA molecules, termed guide RNAs (gRNA). The ability of this class of small, noncoding RNA to function in RNA editing is essential for these organisms. Typically, gRNAs are transcribed independent of the their cognate mRNA and anneal to form a binary RNA complex . An exception for this process may be cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII) mRNA since a gene encoding a trans acting gRNA has not been identified. Using an in vitro editing assay we find that the 3′ UTR of COII, indeed, functions as a guide for both the site and number of uridines added to the coding region of the COII mRNA. We further show that the guiding sequence within the COII 3′ UTR can only function in COII editing when contiguous with the editing substrate, indicating that the 3′ UTR of COII lacks sequence or structure information necessary to function as a trans-acting gRNA. While other RNAs have been shown to “guide” RNA processing reactions, our discovery that the COII 3′ UTR directs editing of its cognate mRNA in cis, is a unique function for a 3′ UTR. The findings described here have led us to propose a new model for the evolution of gRNAs in kinetoplastids.