Taghbalout Aziz, Rothfield Lawrence
Department of Molecular, Microbial, and Structural Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06032, USA.
Mol Microbiol. 2008 Nov;70(4):780-2. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2008.06457.x.
Ribonuclease E (RNase E) is a component of the Escherichia coli RNA degradosome, a multiprotein complex that also includes RNA helicase B (RhlB), polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) and enolase. The degradosome plays a key role in RNA processing and degradation. The degradosomal proteins are organized as a cytoskeletal-like structure within the cell that has been thought to be associated with the cytoplasmic membrane. The article by Khemici et al. in the current issue of Molecular Microbiology reports that RNase E can directly interact with membrane phospholipids in vitro. The RNase E-membrane interaction is likely to play an important role in the membrane association of the degradosome system. These findings shed light on important but largely unexplored aspects of cellular structure and function, including the organization of the RNA processing machinery of the cell and of bacterial cytoskeletal elements in general.
核糖核酸酶E（RNase E）是大肠杆菌RNA降解体的一个组成部分，RNA降解体是一种多蛋白复合物，还包括RNA解旋酶B（RhlB）、多核苷酸磷酸化酶（PNPase）和烯醇化酶。降解体在RNA加工和降解过程中起关键作用。降解体蛋白在细胞内组织成一种类似细胞骨架的结构，人们一直认为这种结构与细胞质膜有关。Khemici等人在本期《分子微生物学》上发表的文章报道，RNase E在体外可直接与膜磷脂相互作用。RNase E与膜的相互作用可能在降解体系统与膜的结合中起重要作用。这些发现揭示了细胞结构和功能中重要但大多未被探索的方面，包括细胞RNA加工机制以及一般细菌细胞骨架元件的组织方式。
