RNA editing of tRNAPhe and tRNACys in mitochondria of Oenothera berteriana is initiated in precursor molecules

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
We have analyzed the role of RNA editing in the correction of mismatched base pairs in tRNA secondary structures in mitochondria of the flowering plant Oenothera berteriana. Comparison of genomic and cDNA sequences from unprocessed primary transcripts of the newly characterized genes for tRNACys, tRNAAsn and tRNATle and the previously described gene for tRNAPhe revealed single nucleotide discrepancies in the tRNACys and tRNAPhe sequences. While the change in the anticodon stem of tRNACys alters a C-T to a T-T mismatch, the nucleotide transition in the tRNAPhe restores a conventional T-A Watson-Crick base pair, replacing a C-A mismatch in the acceptor stem. Since both nucleotide alterations are conversions from genomic cytidines to thymidines in the cDNA (uridines in the tRNAs), they are attributed to RNA editing, which is observed in nearly all mRNAs from plant mitochondria.