AUTHOR=Tomita Kozo , Yamashita Seisueke 

TITLE=Molecular mechanisms of template-independent RNA polymerization by tRNA nucleotidyltransferases

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=5

YEAR=2014

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2014.00036

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2014.00036

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p>The universal 3′-terminal CCA sequence of tRNA is built and/or synthesized by the CCA-adding enzyme, CTP:(ATP) tRNA nucleotidyltransferase. This RNA polymerase has no nucleic acid template, but faithfully synthesizes the defined CCA sequence on the 3′-terminus of tRNA at one time, using CTP and ATP as substrates. The mystery of CCA-addition without a nucleic acid template by unique RNA polymerases has long fascinated researchers in the field of RNA enzymology. In this review, the mechanisms of RNA polymerization by the remarkable CCA-adding enzyme and its related enzymes are presented, based on their structural features.</p>