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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

In vitro tRNA Methylation Assay with the Entamoeba histolytica DNA and tRNA Methyltransferase Dnmt2 (Ehmeth) Enzyme
Published on: October 20, 2010
Trypanosome mitochondrial 3' terminal uridylyl transferase (TUTase): the key enzyme in U-insertion/deletion RNA
Ruslan Aphasizhev1, Sandro Sbicego, Marian Peris
1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Abstract:
A 3' terminal RNA uridylyltransferase was purified from mitochondria of Leishmania tarentolae and the gene cloned and expressed from this species and from Trypanosoma brucei. The enzyme is specific for 3' U-addition in the presence of Mg(2+). TUTase is present in vivo in at least two stable configurations: one contains a approximately 500 kDa TUTase oligomer and the other a approximately 700 kDa TUTase complex. Anti-TUTase antiserum specifically coprecipitates a small portion of the p45 and p50 RNA ligases and approximately 40% of the guide RNAs. Inhibition of TUTase expression in procyclic T. brucei by RNAi downregulates RNA editing and appears to affect parasite viability.
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