The isomerization of uridine to pseudoridine is the second most common rRNA modification. These pseudoridines are also introduced by the same classes of snoRNPs that participate in methylation. Psuedouridine synthases are the major participating enzymes in the reaction. The H/ACA box snoRNPs introduce guide sequences that are about 14-15 nucleotides long. Pseudouridylation is triggered in numerous places of rRNAs at once to preserve the thermal stability of RNA. Pseudouridine allows for increased hydrogen bonding and alters translation in rRNA and tRNA. It alters translation by increasing the affinity of the ribosome subunit to specific mRNAs.
Base Editing:
Base editing is the third major class of rRNA modification, specifically in eukaryotes. There are 8 categories of base edits that can occur at the gap between the small and large ribosomal subunits. RNA methyltransferases are the enzymes that introduce base methylation. Acetyltransferases are the enzymes responsible for acetylation of cytosine in rRNA. Base methylation plays a role in translation. These base modifications all work in conjunction with the two other main classes of modification to contribute to RNA structural stability. An example of this occurs in N7-methylation, which increases the nucleotide's charge to increase ionic interactions of proteins attaching to the RNA before translation.