The single CCA-adding enzyme of T. brucei has distinct functions in the cytosol and in mitochondria

tRNAs universally carry a CCA nucleotide triplet at their 3′-ends. In eukaryotes, the CCA is added post-transcriptionally by the CCA-adding enzyme (CAE). The mitochondrion of the parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma brucei lacks tRNA genes and therefore imports all of its tRNAs from the cytosol. This has generated interest in the tRNA modifications and their distribution in this organism, including how CCA is added to tRNAs. Here, using a BLAST search for genes encoding putative CAE proteins in T. brucei, we identified a single ORF, Tb927.9.8780, as a potential candidate. Knockdown of this putative protein, termed TbCAE, resulted in the accumulation of truncated tRNAs, abolished translation, and inhibited both total and mitochondrial CCA-adding activities, indicating that TbCAE is located both in the cytosol and mitochondrion. However, mitochondrially localized tRNAs were much less affected by the TbCAE ablation than the other tRNAs. Complementation assays revealed that the N-terminal 10 amino acids of TbCAE are dispensable for its activity and mitochondrial localization and that deletion of 10 further amino acids abolishes both. A growth arrest caused by the TbCAE knockdown was rescued by the expression of the cytosolic isoform of yeast CAE, even though it was not imported into mitochondria. This finding indicated that the yeast enzyme complements the essential function of TbCAE by adding CCA to the primary tRNA transcripts. Of note, ablation of the mitochondrial TbCAE activity, which likely has a repair function, only marginally affected growth.

Golden and Harmonic Mean in the Genetic Code

In previous two works (Rakočević, 1998; 2013), we have shown the determination of genetic code by golden and harmonic mean within standard Genetic Code Table, i.e. nucleotide triplet table, whereas in this paper we show the same determination through a specific connection between two tables – of nucleotide doublets Table and triplets Table, over polarity of amino acids, measured by Cloister energy in general, and by hydropathy and polar requirement, partialy. [This is the expanded version of the article published in Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference “Theoretical Approaches to BioInformation Systems” (TABIS.2013), September 17–22, 2013, Belgrade, Serbia. That first version is also stored, as Version 1, in OSF Preprints.]

Golden and Harmonic Mean in the Genetic Code

In previous two works [1], [2] we have shown the determination of genetic code by golden and harmonic mean within standard Genetic Code Table, i.e. nucleotide triplet table, whereas in this paper we show the same determination through a specific connection between two tables – of nucleotide doublets Table and triplets Table, over polarity of amino acids, measured by Cloister energy.

Huntington's Disease with Retinitis Pigmentosa- a Case Report

Huntington's disease (HD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by the following triad of clinical hallmarks: autosomal dominant inheritance, choreoathetosis, and dementia. In 1993 the genetic mutation responsible for HD was identified and mapped on the chromosome 4p16.3. The mutation is a characteristic expansion of a CAG nucleotide triplet. In this paper we present a 36-years-old male patient with HD. Additionally he also had retinitis pigmentosa. His pedigree was reconstructed using available medical documentation and tracing other members of his family.Faridpur Med. Coll. J. Jan 2017;12(1): 50-52