Phylogenetic Diversity Reflected in the Three Dimensional Structure of Ribosomal 5S RNA

The requirement for the small ribosomal 5S RNA as an integral part of the protein synthesizing machinery, the ribosome, has been conserved throughout the course of evolution. Eubacterial, eukaryotic, archaebacterial and chloroplast 5S RNAs have been used for protein binding studies, reconstitution experiments and structural analysis with the single strand specific ribonuclease S₁ These comparative studies reflect the phylogenetic relationship of the individual species examined; besides the two major classes, eubacterial and eukaryotic 5 S RNA, archaebacterial 5S RNA represents a further class, which is structurally and functionally distinct.

Chloroplast 5S RNA is demonstrated to be closely related to the eubacterial class.