SLFN-generated 3'-truncated tRNALeu or tRNASer together with tRNase ZL works as a sequence-specific RNA cutter

Abstract

A complex of the 3'-truncated tRNAArg that lacks 9 nt and tRNase ZL works as a GCCC-recognizing RNA cutter. It recognizes an RNA substrate via four Watson-Crick-Franklin base-pairings with the 3'-truncated tRNAArg. Human SLFN11 and SLFN13 can generate 3'-truncated tRNALeu that lacks 10 nt and 3'-truncated tRNASer that lacks 11 nt, respectively, from their corresponding mature tRNAs. Here, we investigated if these 3'-truncated tRNAs together with tRNase ZL work as sequence-specific RNA cutters. We examined five RNA targets for cleavage by recombinant human tRNase ZL in the presence of the 3'-truncated tRNALeu or tRNASer. We demonstrated that the 3'-truncated tRNALeu and tRNASer together with tRNase ZL indeed work as [~]6-base-recognizing and 7-base-recognizing RNA cutters, respectively.