Work

Now on display: a gallery of group II intron structures at different stages of catalysis

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: Group II introns are mobile genetic elements that self-splice and retrotranspose into DNA and RNA. They are considered evolutionary ancestors of the spliceosome, the ribonucleoprotein complex essential for pre-mRNA processing in higher eukaryotes. Over a 20-year period, group II introns have been characterized first genetically, then biochemically, and finally by means of X-ray crystallography. To date, 17 crystal structures of a group II intron are available, representing five different stages of the splicing cycle. This review provides a framework for classifying and understanding these new structures in the context of the splicing cycle. Structural and functional implications for the spliceosome are also discussed.

Source: Mobile DNA

DOI: 10.1186/1759-8753-4-14

Authors: Marco Marcia, Srinivas Somarowthu, Anna Pyle

Institutions: Yale University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Language: English

Topic: RNA Research and Splicing

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,290

Funders: National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Argonne National Laboratory