tRNA nuclease CdiA

UniProtKB accession:  H9T8G6

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UniProtKB description:  Toxic component of a toxin-immunity protein module, which functions as a cellular contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI) system. CDI modules allow bacteria to communicate with and inhibit the growth of closely related neighboring bacteria in a contact-dependent fashion. The C-terminal 160 residues (CT domain) acts as a general tRNA nuclease, and inhibits growth in E.coli upon overexpression. Cleaves specifically within the T-loop of E.coli tRNA2(Arg) (between the post-transcriptionally modified thymidine-T55 and pseudouridine-Y56); also degrades most other tRNAs (PubMed:22435733). Cleaves unmodified tRNA(Gln) and tRNA(Asp), showing the universal post-translational tRNA modifications present in the T-loop are not required for CT activity (PubMed:27445337). Inactive CT domain binds tRNA, probably in a complex with 4 CT domains and 4 tRNAs (PubMed:27445337). Toxic activity is neutralized by coexpression of the cognate immunity protein CdiI in E.coli, but not by non-cognate immunity proteins from other strains of B.pseudomallei (PubMed:22435733, PubMed:27445337).