Architecture of the yeast small subunit processome
Malik Chaker-Margot, Jonas Barandun, Mirjam Hunziker, Sebastian Klinge
Science 13 Jan 2017: Vol. 355, Issue 6321
The small subunit (SSU) processome is a large ribonucleoprotein complex composed of approximately 70 non-ribosomal proteins, several small nucleolar RNA's, and ribosomal RNA precursors (pre-rRNA). It organizes the assembly of the eukaryotic small ribosomal subunit at the early stages by coordinating the folding and modification of pre-rRNA.
The authors used cryo-electron microscopy to elucidate the structure of the S. cerevisiae SSU processome at a resolution of 5.1 Å. They were able to show how the molecular scaffold provided by the 5' external transcribed spacers (ETS) and U3 small nucleoloar RNA is used as a foundation for the assembly of the small eukaryotic ribosomal subunit.
They were also able to show that proteins that bind within the 5' ETS are located at the base of the SSU processome structure, those associated with 18S rRNA domains form the core of the particle, and proteins recruited only after 18S rRNA completion form the outer tier of the structure.
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