NMR Structures and Dynamics in a Prohead RNA Loop that Binds Metal Ions
Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: Metal ions are critical for RNA structure and enzymatic activity. We present the structure of an asymmetric RNA loop that binds metal ions and has an essential function in a bacteriophage packaging motor. Prohead RNA is a noncoding RNA that is required for genome packaging activity in phi29-like bacteriophage. The loops in GA1 and phi29 bacteriophage share a conserved adenine that forms a base triple, although the structural context for the base triple differs. NMR relaxation studies and femtosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy reveal the dynamic behavior of the loop in the metal ion bound and unbound forms. The mechanism of metal ion binding appears to be an induced conformational change between two dynamic ensembles rather than a conformational capture mechanism. These results provide experimental benchmarks for computational models of RNA-metal ion interactions.
Authors: Xiaobo Gu, Sun-Young Park, Marco Tonelli, Gabriel Cornilescu, Tianbing Xia, Dongping Zhong, Susan J. Schroeder
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: WIDE-BORE 9.4 TESLA NMR SPECTROMETER FOR UW-MADISON, Upgrade of the NMRFAM 750 MHz NMR Spectrometer, G2901117274, CAREER: Advancing Viral RNA Structure Prediction, National Biomedical NMR Resource at Madison, Integrated state-of-the-art LC-MS/NMR system for the University of Wisconsin, CONSOLE UPGRADES FOR NMR FACILITY, NMR Spectrometer System Optimized for Direct 13C or 15N Detection, Predicting viral RNA structure, function and drug targets, Dynamics and Mechanism of Water-Protein Interactions
OpenAlex ID: W2519935291