The Escherichia coli pcnB gene promotes adenylylation of antisense RNAI of ColE1-type plasmids in vivo and degradation of RNAI decay intermediates

Mutations in the Escherichia coli pcnB gene cause a 10-fold increase in the half-life of RNAI decay intermediates and of divided RNAI primary transcripts without areas assaulted by RNase E. The pcnB-mediated enhancement of RNAI deterioration is related to posttranscriptional 3' addition of adenosine residues in vivo to native and processed types of RNAI.