Diverse primary and secondary structural features are associated with Y complex-dependent mRNA maturation in B. subtilis
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1237530663-MIT.pdf
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9.8 MB
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Author(s)
Ram, Archana,M. Eng.Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Advisor(s)
Gene-Wei Li.
Date Issued
2020
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
In Bacillus subtilis, mRNA processing and decay are primarily initiated by the endonuclease RNase Y. Recent work by our group discovered a set of auxiliary factors called the Y complex that is required for the mRNA maturation of 21 operons. It is unclear, however, how these operons specifically are targeted by RNase Y and the Y complex. Here we use in silico sequence motif searches, kmer analysis and secondary structure prediction to analyze these 21 cleavage sites and their surrounding regions. We find enrichment for a guanine immediately preceding the cleavage site. Such enrichment has been previously observed in Staphylococcus aureus RNase Y cleavage sites, indicating a role for the Y complex in processing those sites as well. Surprisingly, there are no other detectable sequence or structural motifs in the regions around the 21 B. subtilis sites. This suggests that Y complex-dependent processing and, more broadly, mRNA processing in B. subtilis, is more complicated than previously anticipated.
Description
Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, February, 2020
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 75-85).
Subjects
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
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MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided.
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