tRNAs are mostly transcribed from un-fragmented genes, but occasionally also from split genes, with separated 5′ and 3′ halves. A reanalysis of the existing data on Staphylothermus marinus and Staphylothermus hellenicus hints of a novel hybrid gene that encodes both an un-fragmented and a 5′-split-half together in one. The corresponding 3′-complement-gene is located elsewhere on the genome. As un-fragmented, the hybrid gene transcribes to tRNA^lys(TTT). But as 5′-half, it trans-splices with its 3′-complement-half to tRNA^lys(CTT), the tRNA missed so far. This hybrid of the split and the un-fragmented in one suggests a deeper synergy between the two, and hints of co-evolution. Furthermore, in a subtle contrast to the widely held idea of conservation of 3’-half, it is precisely the 3′-half that varies in these two tRNAs; the 5′-half remains conserved.

Key words: Genes; Split-genes; Noncoding RNA; Gene-expression.

This article can be cited as:
S. Das, S. Mitra, S. Sahoo, J. Chakrabarti, Novel Hybrid Encodes both Continuous and Split tRNA Genes?, J. Biomol Struct Dyn 28(5) 827-831 (2011)