Bacterial mRNA pseudouridylation by RluA [Rend-seq]

Pseudouridine (?) is an ubiquitous RNA modification, present in the tRNAs and rRNAs of species across all domains of life. Conserved pseudouridine synthases modify the mRNAs of diverse eukaryotes, but the modification has yet to be identified in bacterial mRNAs. Here, we report the discovery of pseudouridines in mRNA from E. coli. By testing the mRNA modification capacity of all 11 known pseudouridine synthases, we identify RluA as the predominant mRNA-modifying enzyme, modifying the majority of high-confidence sites. Overall design: RNA expression and transcript end detection by Rend-Seq