Ribosomes are ribonucleoprotein complexes highly conserved across all domains of life. The size differences of ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) can be mainly attributed to variable regions termed expansion segments (ESs) protruding out from the ribosomal surface. The ESs were found to be involved in a range of processes including ribosome biogenesis and maturation, translation, and co-translational protein modification. Here, we analyze the rRNAs of the yeasts from the Magnusiomyces/Saprochaete clade belonging to the basal lineages of the subphylum Saccharomycotina. We find that these yeasts are missing more than 400 nt from the 25S rRNA and 150 nt from the 18S rRNAs when compared to their canonical counterparts in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The missing regions mostly map to ESs, thus representing a shift toward a minimal rRNA structure. Despite the structural changes in rRNAs, we did not identify dramatic alterations in the ribosomal protein inventories. We also show that the size-reduced rRNAs are not limited to the species of the Magnusiomyces/Saprochaete clade, indicating that the shortening of ESs happened independently in several other lineages of the subphylum Saccharomycotina.

• Keywords
• Magnusiomyces, expansion segments, ribosomal RNA, ribosome, yeast,
• MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Evolution, Molecular MeSH
• Ribosomal Proteins genetics   MeSH
• Ribosomes * metabolism   genetics   MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 18S genetics   MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal * genetics   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae genetics   MeSH
• Saccharomycetales genetics   classification   metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Ribosomal Proteins MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 18S MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal * MeSH
• RNA, ribosomal, 25S MeSH Browser