Most bacteria produce antibacterial proteins known as bacteriocins, which aid bacterial defence systems to provide a physiological advantage. To date, many kinds of bacteriocins have been characterized. Colicin has long been known as a plasmidborne bacteriocin that kills other Escherichia coli cells lacking the same plasmid. To defeat other cells, colicins exert specific activities such as ion-channel, DNase, and RNase activity. Colicin E5 and colicin D impair protein synthesis in sensitive E. coli cells; however, their physiological targets have not long been identified. This review describes our finding that colicins E5 and D are novel RNases targeting specific E. coli tRNAs and elucidates their enzymatic properties based on biochemical analyses and X-ray crystal structures. Moreover, tRNA cleavage mediates bacteriostasis, which depends on transtranslation. Based on these results and others, cell growth regulation depending on tRNA cleavage is also discussed.
CITATION STYLE
Ogawa, T. (2016). TRNA-targeting ribonucleases: Molecular mechanisms and insights into their physiological roles. Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry. Japan Society for Bioscience Biotechnology and Agrochemistry. https://doi.org/10.1080/09168451.2016.1148579
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