Biology:HgcC family RNA

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HgcC family RNA
RF00062.jpg
Predicted secondary structure and sequence conservation of HgcC
Identifiers
SymbolHgcC
RfamRF00062
Other data
RNA typeGene
Domain(s)Archaea
SO0000655
PDB structuresPDBe

HgcC is a small non coding RNA (ncRNA). It is the functional product of a gene which is not translated into protein.

This ncRNA gene was originally identified by computationally searching the genome of the thermophilic archea Methanococcus jannaschii for non-coding regions of high guanine-cytosine (GC) content.[1] The original rational for this search was based on the observation that the genomes of these bacteria are adenosine-thiamine (AT) rich and consequently have a low GC content. However, the GC content of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA) genes in hyperthermophiles shows a strong correlation with optimal growth temperature.[2] It was proposed that non coding regions of high GC-content might encode functional RNA products. The computational screen identified a number of novel ncRNA genes in the genome of M.jannaschii. These were named hgc- ("high GC") A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Two other homologues were detected called HhcA and HhcB after "homologue of hgcC". A further RNA element, SscA RNA, was also identified.[1]

The HgcC gene product was experimentally validated by Northern blot and RACE-PCR analysis.[1] The function of this ncRNA is unknown.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Noncoding RNA genes identified in AT-rich hyperthermophiles". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 99 (11): 7542–7547. 2002. doi:10.1073/pnas.112063799. PMID 12032319. Bibcode2002PNAS...99.7542K. 
  2. "Relationships between genomic G+C content, RNA secondary structures, and optimal growth temperature in prokaryotes". J. Mol. Evol. 44 (6): 632–636. 1997. doi:10.1007/PL00006186. PMID 9169555. Bibcode1997JMolE..44..632G. 

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