minihelix

mi·ni·hel·ix

(min-ē-hel'iks),

A motif found in RNA molecules, consisting of a structural cis-acting export element that comprises a double stranded stem (>14 nucleotides) with a base-paired 5' end and a 3-8 nucleotide protruding 3' end.

References in periodicals archive ?

The top-half domain, sometimes referred to as a tRNA "minihelix," has been shown to provide the determinants necessary for specific charging by aminoacyl tRNA synthetases (14, 15); for interaction with elongation factor Tu (16); for 5[prime] processing by RNase P (17); and for distinguishing elongator from initiator tRNA (18).

A top-half tDNA minihelix is a good substrate for the eubacterial CCA-adding enzyme.

BARTEL: You're making the argument that because all these enzymes that recognize tRNA interact primarily with the top minihelix, that minihelix is therefore more ancient.

New evidence for the genomic tag hypothesis: archaeal CCA-adding enzymes and tDNA substrates