The Final Step in 5.8S rRNA Processing Is Cytoplasmic in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

ABSTRACT The 18S rRNA component of yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) 40S ribosomes undergoes cytoplasmic 3′ cleavage following nuclear export, whereas exported pre-60S subunits were believed to contain only mature 5.8S and 25S rRNAs. However, in situ hybridization detected 3′-extended forms of 5.8S rRNA in the cytoplasm, which were lost when Crm1-dependent preribosome export was blocked by treatment with leptomycin B (LMB). LMB treatment rapidly blocked processing of 6S pre-rRNA to 5.8S rRNA, leading to TRAMP-dependent pre-rRNA degradation. The 6S pre-rRNA was coprecipitated with the 60S export adapter Nmd3 and cytoplasmic 60S synthesis factor Lsg1. The longer 5.8S+30 pre-rRNA (a form of 5.8S rRNA 3′ extended by ∼30 nucleotides) is processed to 6S by the nuclear exonuclease Rrp6, and nuclear pre-rRNA accumulated in the absence of Rrp6. In contrast, 6S to 5.8S processing requires the cytoplasmic exonuclease Ngl2, and cytoplasmic pre-rRNA accumulated in strains lacking Ngl2. We conclude that nuclear pre-60S particles containing the 6S pre-rRNA bind Nmd3 and Crm1 and are exported to the cytoplasm prior to final maturation by Ngl2.