[摘要]：RNase E is an essential bacterial endoribonuclease involved in the turnover of messenger RNA and the maturation of structured RNA precursors in Escherichia coli. Here, we present the crystal structure of the E coli RNase E catalytic domain in the apo-state at 3.3 A. This structure indicates that, upon catalytic activation, RNase E undergoes a marked conformational change characterized by the coupled movement of two RNA-binding domains to organize the active site. The structural data suggest a mechanism of RNA recognition and cleavage that explains the enzyme's preference for substrates possessing a 5-monophosphate and accounts for the protective effect of a triphosphate cap for most transcripts. Internal flexibility within the quaternary structure is also observed, a finding that has implications for recognition of structured RNA substrates and for the mechanism of internal entry for a subset of substrates that are cleaved without 5'-end requirements.
