Comparison between the Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis genomes suggests that a major function of polynucleotide phosphorylase is to synthesize CDP.

Genome comparison permits identification of chromosome regions conserved during evolution. Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli are so distant that there exists very few conserved landmarks in their genome organisation. Analysis of the conserved cmk rpsA cluster pinpointed the importance of cytosine nucleotide metabolism. In these bacteria, mRNA turnover provides an efficient means to fulfil the need for CDP as a precursor of DNA synthesis. The cmk rpsA operon is responsible for CDP synthesis. This function is self-explained in the case of the cmk gene (which codes for cytidylate kinase). The case of rpsA, that codes for ribosomal protein S1, is more subtle. It is suggested here that S1 is a RNA-binding protein helping polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase, known to be phylogenetically related to S1) to degrade mRNA, or helper molecule involved in other RNase activities. This provides an explanation for the elusive function of PNPase, which generates nucleoside diphosphates (not monophosphates) when degrading RNA. This also accounts for the discovery that the B. subtilis comR gene product is PNPase. This article briefly discusses the availability of cytosine nucleotides in eukaryotes, and suggests that they are derived from phospholipids turnover. Finally, the GC content of genomes is discussed in this new light.