Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026

Author Spotlight: Understanding Microbe Adaptation Using Innovative Techniques for Exploring Thermophilic Evolution
Published on: June 14, 2024
Alterations of the transcriptome of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius by exoribonuclease aCPSF2
Birgit Märtens1, Fabian Amman, Salim Manoharadas
1Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Center of Molecular Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Abstract:
Recent studies identified a 5´ to 3´ exoribonuclease termed Sso-RNase J in the crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus (Sso), which has been reclassified to the aCPSF2 (archaeal cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 2) group of β-CASP proteins. In this study, the Sso-aCPSF2 orthologue of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius (Saci-aCPSF2) was functionally characterized. Like Sso-aCPSF2, Saci-aCPSF2 degrades RNA with 5´ to 3´ directionality in vitro. To address the biological significance of Saci-aCPSF2, a deletion mutant was constructed, and the influence of Saci-aCPSF2 on the transcriptome profile was assessed employing high throughput RNA sequencing. This analysis revealed 560 genes with differential transcript abundance, suggesting a considerable role of this enzyme in RNA metabolism. In addition, bioinformatic analyses revealed several transcripts that are preferentially degraded at the 5´ end. This was exemplarily verified for two transcripts by Northern-blot analyses, showing for the first time that aCPSF2 proteins play a role in 5' to 3' directional mRNA decay in the crenarchaeal clade of Archaea.
Related Concept Videos
Sulfur Assimilation
RNA Editing
RNA Splicing
RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins
Pre-mRNA Processing: Modification of pre-mRNA Ends
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a cap to the 5' end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5' phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached (7-methyl guanosine). This 5' cap helps...
Base Excision Repair

