InterPro domain: IPR004114

The THUMP (after thiouridine synthases, RNA methylases and pseudouridinesynthases) domain is a module of 100-110 amino acid residues which is involvedRNA metabolism. It is shared by enzymes that are predicted to carry out atleast three unrelated types of RNA-modification, namely methylation,pseudouridylation and thiouridylation. The THUMP domain can occur in stand-alone form or in association with a variety of catalytic domains, likemethylase, pseudo U-synthase or rhodanese. THUMP is anancient domain with predicted RNA-binding capacity that probably functions bydelivering a variety of RNA modification enzymes to their targets. The THUMPdomain apparently evolved prior to the divergence of the primary divisions oflife [ 1 ].

The THUMP domain has been predicted to adopt an alpha/beta fold similar tothat found in the C-terminal domain of translation initiation factor 3 andribosomal protein S8 [ 2 ].

Some proteins known to contain a THUMP domain are listed below:

• Bacterial and archaeal thiI-like 4-thiouridine synthases.
• Bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic RNA methylases.
• Archaeal pseudouridine synthases (PSUSs).
• Several uncharacterised proteins.

1. THUMP--a predicted RNA-binding domain shared by 4-thiouridine, pseudouridine synthases and RNA methylases. Trends Biochem. Sci. 26, 215-7