1
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Niu X, Xu Z, Zhang Y, Zuo X, Chen C, Fang X. Structural and dynamic mechanisms for coupled folding and tRNA recognition of a translational T-box riboswitch. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7394. [PMID: 37968328 PMCID: PMC10651847 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43232-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
T-box riboswitches are unique riboregulators where gene regulation is mediated through interactions between two highly structured RNAs. Despite extensive structural insights, how RNA-RNA interactions drive the folding and structural transitions of T-box to achieve functional conformations remains unclear. Here, by combining SAXS, single-molecule FRET and computational modeling, we elaborate the folding energy landscape of a translational T-box aptamer consisting of stems I, II and IIA/B, which Mg2+-induced global folding and tRNA binding are cooperatively coupled. smFRET measurements reveal that high Mg2+ stabilizes IIA/B and its stacking on II, which drives the pre-docking of I and II into a competent conformation, subsequent tRNA binding promotes docking of I and II to form a high-affinity tRNA binding groove, of which the essentiality of IIA/B and S-turn in II is substantiated with mutational analysis. We highlight a delicate balance among Mg2+, the intra- and intermolecular RNA-RNA interactions in modulating RNA folding and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Niu
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Zhonghe Xu
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yufan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of RNA Science and Engineering, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xiaobing Zuo
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA
| | - Chunlai Chen
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Xianyang Fang
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
- Key Laboratory of RNA Science and Engineering, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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2
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Zhao S, Zhang D, Liu S, Huang J. The roles of NOP56 in cancer and SCA36. Pathol Oncol Res 2023; 29:1610884. [PMID: 36741964 PMCID: PMC9892063 DOI: 10.3389/pore.2023.1610884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
NOP56 is a highly conserved nucleolar protein. Amplification of the intron GGCCTG hexanucleotide repeat sequence of the NOP56 gene results in spinal cerebellar ataxia type 36 (SCA36). NOP56 contains an N-terminal domain, a coiled-coil domain, and a C-terminal domain. Nucleolar protein NOP56 is significantly abnormally expressed in a number of malignant tumors, and its mechanism is different in different tumors, but its regulatory mechanism in most tumors has not been fully explored. NOP56 promotes tumorigenesis in some cancers and inhibits tumorigenesis in others. In addition, NOP56 is associated with methylation in some tumors, suggesting that NOP56 has the potential to become a tumor-specific marker. This review focuses on the structure, function, related signaling pathways, and role of NOP56 in the progression of various malignancies, and discusses the progression of NOP56 in neurodegenerative and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimin Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China,Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Dongdong Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China,Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Sicheng Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China,Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jun Huang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China,*Correspondence: Jun Huang,
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3
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Hu Y, Wang Y, Singh J, Sun R, Xu L, Niu X, Huang K, Bai G, Liu G, Zuo X, Chen C, Qin PZ, Fang X. Phosphorothioate-Based Site-Specific Labeling of Large RNAs for Structural and Dynamic Studies. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:2448-2460. [PMID: 36069699 PMCID: PMC10186269 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Pulsed electron-electron double resonance (PELDOR) spectroscopy, X-ray scattering interferometry (XSI), and single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) are molecular rulers that provide inter- or intramolecular pair-wise distance distributions in the nanometer range, thus being ideally suitable for structural and dynamic studies of biomolecules including RNAs. The prerequisite for such applications requires site-specific labeling of biomolecules with spin labels, gold nanoparticles, and fluorescent tags, respectively. Recently, site-specific labeling of large RNAs has been achieved by a combination of transcription of an expanded genetic alphabet containing A-T/G-C base pairs and NaM-TPT3 unnatural base pair (UBP) with post-transcriptional modifications at UBP bases by click chemistry or amine-NHS ester reactions. However, due to the bulky sizes of functional groups or labeling probes used, such strategies might cause structural perturbation and decrease the accuracy of distance measurements. Here, we synthesize an α-thiophosphorylated variant of rTPT3TP (rTPT3αS), which allows for post-transcriptional site-specific labeling of large RNAs at the internal α-phosphate backbone via maleimide-modified probes. Subsequent PELDOR, XSI, and smFRET measurements result in narrower distance distributions than labeling at the TPT3 base. The presented strategy provides a new route to empower the molecular rulers for structural and dynamic studies of large RNA and its complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanping Hu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jaideep Singh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Ruirui Sun
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Lilei Xu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaolin Niu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Keyun Huang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Guangcan Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Guoquan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xiaobing Zuo
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Chunlai Chen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Peter Z Qin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Xianyang Fang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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4
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Xu B, Zhu Y, Cao C, Chen H, Jin Q, Li G, Ma J, Yang SL, Zhao J, Zhu J, Ding Y, Fang X, Jin Y, Kwok CK, Ren A, Wan Y, Wang Z, Xue Y, Zhang H, Zhang QC, Zhou Y. Recent advances in RNA structurome. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 65:1285-1324. [PMID: 35717434 PMCID: PMC9206424 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-2116-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
RNA structures are essential to support RNA functions and regulation in various biological processes. Recently, a range of novel technologies have been developed to decode genome-wide RNA structures and novel modes of functionality across a wide range of species. In this review, we summarize key strategies for probing the RNA structurome and discuss the pros and cons of representative technologies. In particular, these new technologies have been applied to dissect the structural landscape of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome. We also summarize the functionalities of RNA structures discovered in different regulatory layers-including RNA processing, transport, localization, and mRNA translation-across viruses, bacteria, animals, and plants. We review many versatile RNA structural elements in the context of different physiological and pathological processes (e.g., cell differentiation, stress response, and viral replication). Finally, we discuss future prospects for RNA structural studies to map the RNA structurome at higher resolution and at the single-molecule and single-cell level, and to decipher novel modes of RNA structures and functions for innovative applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Xu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yanda Zhu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Changchang Cao
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Qiongli Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Guangnan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Junfeng Ma
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Siwy Ling Yang
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jieyu Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jianghui Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yiliang Ding
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, United Kingdom.
| | - Xianyang Fang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Yongfeng Jin
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry, and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
| | - Aiming Ren
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Yue Wan
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Zhiye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Yuanchao Xue
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Huakun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China.
| | - Qiangfeng Cliff Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.
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5
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Rosenberg DJ, Syed A, Tainer JA, Hura GL. Monitoring Nuclease Activity by X-Ray Scattering Interferometry Using Gold Nanoparticle-Conjugated DNA. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2444:183-205. [PMID: 35290639 PMCID: PMC9512051 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2063-2_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The biologically critical, exquisite specificity and efficiency of nucleases, such as those acting in DNA repair and replication, often emerge in the context of multiple other macromolecules. The evolved complexity also makes biologically relevant nuclease assays challenging and low-throughput. Meiotic recombination 11 homolog 1 (MRE11) is an exemplary nuclease that initiates DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair and processes stalled DNA replication forks. Thus, DNA resection by MRE11 nuclease activity is critical for multiple DSB repair pathways as well as in replication. Traditionally, in vitro nuclease activity of purified enzymes is studied either through gel-based assays or fluorescence-based assays like fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). However, adapting these methods for a high-throughput application such as inhibitor screening can be challenging. Gel-based approaches are slow, and FRET assays can suffer from interference and distance limitations. Here we describe an alternative methodology to monitor nuclease activity by measuring the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) interference pattern from gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) conjugated to 5'-ends of dsDNA using X-ray scattering interferometry (XSI). In addition to reporting on the enzyme activity, XSI can provide insight into DNA-protein interactions, aiding in the development of inhibitors that trap enzymes on the DNA substrate. Enabled by efficient access to synchrotron beamlines, sample preparation, and the feasibility of high-throughput XSI data collection and processing pipelines, this method allows for far greater speeds with less sample consumption than conventional SAXS techniques. The reported metrics and methods can be generalized to monitor not only other nucleases but also most other DNA-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Rosenberg
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Aleem Syed
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - John A Tainer
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Greg L Hura
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
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6
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Höfler S, Lukat P, Blankenfeldt W, Carlomagno T. High-resolution structure of eukaryotic Fibrillarin interacting with Nop56 amino-terminal domain. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 27:496-512. [PMID: 33483369 PMCID: PMC7962484 DOI: 10.1261/rna.077396.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) carries extensive 2'-O-methyl marks at functionally important sites. This simple chemical modification is thought to confer stability, promote RNA folding, and contribute to generate a heterogenous ribosome population with a yet-uncharacterized function. 2'-O-methylation occurs both in archaea and eukaryotes and is accomplished by the Box C/D RNP enzyme in an RNA-guided manner. Extensive and partially conflicting structural information exists for the archaeal enzyme, while no structural data is available for the eukaryotic enzyme. The yeast Box C/D RNP consists of a guide RNA, the RNA-primary binding protein Snu13, the two scaffold proteins Nop56 and Nop58, and the enzymatic module Nop1. Here we present the high-resolution structure of the eukaryotic Box C/D methyltransferase Nop1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae bound to the amino-terminal domain of Nop56. We discuss similarities and differences between the interaction modes of the two proteins in archaea and eukaryotes and demonstrate that eukaryotic Nop56 recruits the methyltransferase to the Box C/D RNP through a protein-protein interface that differs substantially from the archaeal orthologs. This study represents a first achievement in understanding the evolution of the structure and function of these proteins from archaea to eukaryotes.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Archaeal Proteins/chemistry
- Archaeal Proteins/genetics
- Archaeal Proteins/metabolism
- Binding Sites
- Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone/chemistry
- Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone/genetics
- Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone/metabolism
- Crystallography, X-Ray
- Gene Expression
- Methylation
- Models, Molecular
- Nuclear Proteins/chemistry
- Nuclear Proteins/genetics
- Nuclear Proteins/metabolism
- Protein Binding
- Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical
- Protein Conformation, beta-Strand
- Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
- Pyrococcus furiosus/genetics
- Pyrococcus furiosus/metabolism
- RNA, Fungal/genetics
- RNA, Fungal/metabolism
- RNA, Ribosomal/genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal/metabolism
- RNA, Small Nucleolar/genetics
- RNA, Small Nucleolar/metabolism
- Recombinant Proteins/chemistry
- Recombinant Proteins/genetics
- Recombinant Proteins/metabolism
- Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear/chemistry
- Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear/genetics
- Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear/metabolism
- Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nucleolar/chemistry
- Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nucleolar/genetics
- Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nucleolar/metabolism
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/chemistry
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/genetics
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/metabolism
- Sequence Alignment
- Structural Homology, Protein
- RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Höfler
- Leibniz University Hannover, Institute for Organic Chemistry and Centre for Biomolecular Drug Research (BMWZ), D-30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Peer Lukat
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Department of Structure and Function of Proteins, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Wulf Blankenfeldt
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Department of Structure and Function of Proteins, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Teresa Carlomagno
- Leibniz University Hannover, Institute for Organic Chemistry and Centre for Biomolecular Drug Research (BMWZ), D-30167 Hannover, Germany
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Group of NMR-based Structural Chemistry, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany
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7
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Ganser LR, Chu CC, Bogerd HP, Kelly ML, Cullen BR, Al-Hashimi HM. Probing RNA Conformational Equilibria within the Functional Cellular Context. Cell Rep 2021; 30:2472-2480.e4. [PMID: 32101729 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Low-abundance short-lived non-native conformations referred to as excited states (ESs) are increasingly observed in vitro and implicated in the folding and biological activities of regulatory RNAs. We developed an approach for assessing the relative abundance of RNA ESs within the functional cellular context. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to estimate the degree to which substitution mutations bias conformational equilibria toward the inactive ES in vitro. The cellular activity of the ES-stabilizing mutants was used as an indirect measure of the conformational equilibria within the functional cellular context. Compensatory mutations that restore the ground-state conformation were used to control for changes in sequence. Using this approach, we show that the ESs of two regulatory RNAs from HIV-1, the transactivation response element (TAR) and the Rev response element (RRE), likely form in cells with abundances comparable to those measured in vitro, and their targeted stabilization may provide an avenue for developing anti-HIV therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura R Ganser
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Chia-Chieh Chu
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Hal P Bogerd
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Virology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Megan L Kelly
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Bryan R Cullen
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Virology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Hashim M Al-Hashimi
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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8
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An RNA Triangle with Six Ribozyme Units Can Promote a Trans-Splicing Reaction through Trimerization of Unit Ribozyme Dimers. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app11062583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Ribozymes are catalytic RNAs that are attractive platforms for the construction of nanoscale objects with biological functions. We designed a dimeric form of the Tetrahymena group I ribozyme as a unit structure in which two ribozymes were connected in a tail-to-tail manner with a linker element. We introduced a kink-turn motif as a bent linker element of the ribozyme dimer to design a closed trimer with a triangular shape. The oligomeric states of the resulting ribozyme dimers (kUrds) were analyzed biochemically and observed directly by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Formation of kUrd oligomers also triggered trans-splicing reactions, which could be monitored with a reporter system to yield a fluorescent RNA aptamer as the trans-splicing product.
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9
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Site-specific covalent labeling of large RNAs with nanoparticles empowered by expanded genetic alphabet transcription. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:22823-22832. [PMID: 32868439 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2005217117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Conjugation of RNAs with nanoparticles (NPs) is of significant importance because of numerous applications in biology and medicine, which, however, remains challenging especially for large ones. So far, the majority of RNA labeling relies on solid-phase chemical synthesis, which is generally limited to RNAs smaller than 100 nucleotides (nts). We, here, present an efficient and generally applicable labeling strategy for site-specific covalent conjugation of large RNAs with a gold nanoparticle (Nanogold) empowered by transcription of an expanded genetic alphabet containing the A-T/U and G-C natural base pairs (bps) and the TPT3-NaM unnatural base pair (UBP). We synthesize an amine-derivatized TPT3 (TPT3A), which is site specifically incorporated into a 97-nt 3'SL RNA and a 719-nt minigenomic RNA (DENV-mini) from Dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) by in vitro T7 transcription. The TPT3A-modified RNAs are covalently conjugated with mono-Sulfo-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl (NHS)-Nanogold NPs via an amine and NHS ester reaction and further purified under nondenaturing conditions. TPT3 modification and Nanogold labeling cause minimal structural perturbations to the RNAs by circular dichroism, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and binding activity assay. We demonstrate the application of the Nanogold-RNA conjugates in large RNA structural biology by an emerging molecular ruler, X-ray scattering interferometry (XSI). The internanoparticle distance distributions in the 3'SL and DENV-mini RNAs derived from XSI measurements support the hypothetical model of flavivirus genome circularization, thus, validate the applicability of this labeling strategy. The presented strategy overcomes the size constraints in conventional RNA labeling strategies and is expected to have wide applications in large RNA structural biology and RNA nanotechnology.
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10
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Zettl T, Shi X, Bonilla S, Sedlak SM, Lipfert J, Herschlag D. The structural ensemble of a Holliday junction determined by X-ray scattering interference. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:8090-8098. [PMID: 32597986 PMCID: PMC7641307 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The DNA four-way (Holliday) junction is the central intermediate of genetic recombination, yet key aspects of its conformational and thermodynamic properties remain unclear. While multiple experimental approaches have been used to characterize the canonical X-shape conformers under specific ionic conditions, the complete conformational ensemble of this motif, especially at low ionic conditions, remains largely undetermined. In line with previous studies, our single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) measurements of junction dynamics revealed transitions between two states under high salt conditions, but smFRET could not determine whether there are fast and unresolvable transitions between distinct conformations or a broad ensemble of related states under low and intermediate salt conditions. We therefore used an emerging technique, X-ray scattering interferometry (XSI), to directly probe the conformational ensemble of the Holliday junction across a wide range of ionic conditions. Our results demonstrated that the four-way junction adopts an out-of-plane geometry under low ionic conditions and revealed a conformational state at intermediate ionic conditions previously undetected by other methods. Our results provide critical information to build toward a full description of the conformational landscape of the Holliday junction and underscore the utility of XSI for probing conformational ensembles under a wide range of solution conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Zettl
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Xuesong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Steve Bonilla
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Steffen M Sedlak
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Jan Lipfert
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Herschlag
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Stanford ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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11
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Taguchi Y, Saio T, Kohda D. Distance Distribution between Two Iodine Atoms Derived from Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Interferometry for Analyzing a Conformational Ensemble of Heavy Atom-Labeled Small Molecules. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:5451-5456. [PMID: 32558579 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c01107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
To obtain unbiased information about the dynamic conformational ensemble of a molecule in solution, one promising approach is small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Conventionally, SAXS data are converted to a pair distribution function, which describes the distance distribution between all pairs of atoms within a molecule. If two strong X-ray scatterers are introduced and the background contributions from the other atoms are suppressed, then the distance distribution between the two scatterers provides spatial information about a flexible molecule. Gold nanocrystals can provide such information for distances of >50 Å. Here, we synthesized a chemical compound containing two iodine atoms attached to the ends of a flexible polyethylene glycol chain and used the relevant singly labeled and unlabeled compounds to suppress the background contribution. This is a feasibility demonstration to prove that the distance distribution in the range of 10-30 Å can be experimentally accessed by SAXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuya Taguchi
- Division of Structural Biology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Tomohide Saio
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan
- Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kohda
- Division of Structural Biology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
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12
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Ganser LR, Kelly ML, Herschlag D, Al-Hashimi HM. The roles of structural dynamics in the cellular functions of RNAs. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2020; 20:474-489. [PMID: 31182864 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-019-0136-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 238] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
RNAs fold into 3D structures that range from simple helical elements to complex tertiary structures and quaternary ribonucleoprotein assemblies. The functions of many regulatory RNAs depend on how their 3D structure changes in response to a diverse array of cellular conditions. In this Review, we examine how the structural characterization of RNA as dynamic ensembles of conformations, which form with different probabilities and at different timescales, is improving our understanding of RNA function in cells. We discuss the mechanisms of gene regulation by microRNAs, riboswitches, ribozymes, post-transcriptional RNA modifications and RNA-binding proteins, and how the cellular environment and processes such as liquid-liquid phase separation may affect RNA folding and activity. The emerging RNA-ensemble-function paradigm is changing our perspective and understanding of RNA regulation, from in vitro to in vivo and from descriptive to predictive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura R Ganser
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Megan L Kelly
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Daniel Herschlag
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford ChEM-H Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford ChEM-H Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Stanford ChEM-H Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hashim M Al-Hashimi
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA. .,Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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13
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Abstract
The kink-turn (k-turn) is a widespread structural motif found in functional RNA species. It typically comprises a three-nucleotide bulge followed by tandem trans sugar edge-Hoogsteen G:A base pairs. It introduces a sharp kink into the axis of duplex RNA, juxtaposing the minor grooves. Cross-strand H-bonds form at the interface, accepted by the conserved adenine nucleobases of the G:A basepairs. Alternative acceptors for one of these divides the k-turns into two conformational classes N3 and N1. The base pair that follows the G:A pairs (3b:3n) determines which conformation is adopted by a given k-turn. k-turns often mediate tertiary contacts in folded RNA species and frequently bind proteins. Common k-turn binding proteins include members of the L7Ae family, such as the human 15·5k protein. A recognition helix within these proteins binds in the widened major groove on the outside of the k-turn, that makes specific H-bonds with the conserved guanine nucleobases of the G:A pairs. L7Ae binds with extremely high affinity, and single-molecule data are consistent with folding by conformational selection. The standard, simple k-turn can be elaborated in a variety of ways, that include the complex k-turns and the k-junctions. In free solution in the absence of added metal ions or protein k-turns do not adopt the tightly-kinked conformation. They undergo folding by the binding of proteins, by the formation of tertiary contacts, and some (but not all) will fold on the addition of metal ions. Whether or not folding occurs in the presence of metal ions depends on local sequence, including the 3b:3n position, and the -1b:-1n position (5' to the bulge). In most cases -1b:-1n = C:G, so that the 3b:3n position is critical since it determines both folding properties and conformation. In general, the selection of these sequence matches a given k-turn to its biological requirements. The k-turn structure is now very well understood, to the point at which they can be used as a building block for the formation of RNA nano-objects, including triangles and squares.
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14
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Yesselman JD, Eiler D, Carlson ED, Gotrik MR, d'Aquino AE, Ooms AN, Kladwang W, Carlson PD, Shi X, Costantino DA, Herschlag D, Lucks JB, Jewett MC, Kieft JS, Das R. Computational design of three-dimensional RNA structure and function. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2019; 14:866-873. [PMID: 31427748 PMCID: PMC7324284 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-019-0517-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
RNA nanotechnology seeks to create nanoscale machines by repurposing natural RNA modules. The field is slowed by the current need for human intuition during three-dimensional structural design. Here, we demonstrate that three distinct problems in RNA nanotechnology can be reduced to a pathfinding problem and automatically solved through an algorithm called RNAMake. First, RNAMake discovers highly stable single-chain solutions to the classic problem of aligning a tetraloop and its sequence-distal receptor, with experimental validation from chemical mapping, gel electrophoresis, solution X-ray scattering and crystallography with 2.55 Å resolution. Second, RNAMake automatically generates structured tethers that integrate 16S and 23S ribosomal RNAs into single-chain ribosomal RNAs that remain uncleaved by ribonucleases and assemble onto messenger RNA. Third, RNAMake enables the automated stabilization of small-molecule binding RNAs, with designed tertiary contacts that improve the binding affinity of the ATP aptamer and improve the fluorescence and stability of the Spinach RNA in cell extracts and in living Escherichia coli cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph D Yesselman
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Eiler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Erik D Carlson
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Michael R Gotrik
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anne E d'Aquino
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Alexandra N Ooms
- Department of Cancer Genetics & Genomics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Wipapat Kladwang
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Paul D Carlson
- Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Xuesong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - David A Costantino
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Daniel Herschlag
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford ChEM-H (Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health), Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Julius B Lucks
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Michael C Jewett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Kieft
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Rhiju Das
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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15
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Sequence-dependent RNA helix conformational preferences predictably impact tertiary structure formation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:16847-16855. [PMID: 31375637 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1901530116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Structured RNAs and RNA complexes underlie biological processes ranging from control of gene expression to protein translation. Approximately 50% of nucleotides within known structured RNAs are folded into Watson-Crick (WC) base pairs, and sequence changes that preserve these pairs are typically assumed to preserve higher-order RNA structure and binding of macromolecule partners. Here, we report that indirect effects of the helix sequence on RNA tertiary stability are, in fact, significant but are nevertheless predictable from a simple computational model called RNAMake-∆∆G. When tested through the RNA on a massively parallel array (RNA-MaP) experimental platform, blind predictions for >1500 variants of the tectoRNA heterodimer model system achieve high accuracy (rmsd 0.34 and 0.77 kcal/mol for sequence and length changes, respectively). Detailed comparison of predictions to experiments support a microscopic picture of how helix sequence changes subtly modulate conformational fluctuations at each base-pair step, which accumulate to impact RNA tertiary structure stability. Our study reveals a previously overlooked phenomenon in RNA structure formation and provides a framework of computation and experiment for understanding helix conformational preferences and their impact across biological RNA and RNA-protein assemblies.
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16
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The yeast C/D box snoRNA U14 adopts a "weak" K-turn like conformation recognized by the Snu13 core protein in solution. Biochimie 2019; 164:70-82. [PMID: 30914254 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2019.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs associate with proteins to form ribonucleoproteins (RNPs), such as ribosome, box C/D snoRNPs, H/ACA snoRNPs, ribonuclease P, telomerase and spliceosome to ensure cell viability. The assembly of these RNA-protein complexes relies on the ability of the RNA to adopt the correct bound conformation. K-turn motifs represent ubiquitous binding platform for proteins found in several cellular environment. This structural motif has an internal three-nucleotide bulge flanked on its 3' side by a G•A/A•G tandem pairs followed by one or two non-Watson-Crick pairs, and on its 5' side by a classical RNA helix. This peculiar arrangement induces a strong curvature of the phosphodiester backbone, which makes it conducive to multiple tertiary interactions. SNU13/Snu13p (Human/Yeast) binds specifically the U14 C/D box snoRNA K-turn sequence motif. This event is the prerequisite to promote the assembly of the RNP, which contains NOP58/Nop58 and NOP56/Nop56 core proteins and the 2'-O-methyl-transferase, Fibrillarin/Nop1p. The U14 small nucleolar RNA is a conserved non-coding RNA found in yeast and vertebrates required for the pre-rRNA maturation and ribose methylation. Here, we report the solution structure of the free U14 snoRNA K-turn motif (kt-U14) as determined by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. We demonstrate that a major fraction of free kt-U14 adopts a pre-folded conformation similar to protein bound K-turn, even in the absence of divalent ions. In contrast to the kt-U4 or tyrS RNA, kt-U14 displays a sharp bent in the phosphodiester backbone. The U•U and G•A tandem base pairs are formed through weak hydrogen bonds. Finally, we show that the structure of kt-U14 is stabilized upon Snu13p binding. The structure of the free U14 RNA is the first reference example for the canonical motifs of the C/D box snoRNA family.
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17
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Lammert H, Wang A, Mohanty U, Onuchic JN. RNA as a Complex Polymer with Coupled Dynamics of Ions and Water in the Outer Solvation Sphere. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:11218-11227. [PMID: 30102033 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b06874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
We unravel the internal and collective modes of a widely studied 58-nucleotide rRNA fragment in solvent using atomically detailed molecular dynamics simulations. The variation of lifetimes for water hydrogen bonds with nucleotide groups indicates heterogeneity of water dynamics on the RNA surface. The time scales of interactions of the discrete water molecules with RNA nucleotides extend from several hundred picoseconds to a few nanoseconds. We determine all of the association sites and the spatial distribution of residence times for Mg2+, K+, and water molecules in those sites. We provide insights into the population of Mg2+ and K+ ions and water molecules in the outer sphere and how their fluctuations are intricately linked with the kinetics of the 58-mer. We find that many of the long-lived Mg2+ sites identified from the simulations agree with the locations of ions in the X-ray structure. We determine the excess ion atmosphere around the rRNA and compare it with experimental data. We investigate the collective behavior of RNA, ions, and water, by performing a joint principle component analysis for the Cartesian coordinates of the RNA phosphorus atoms and for the occupation counts of the association sites. Our results indicate that the 58-mer system is a complex polymer, composed of RNA that is encased by a fluctuating network of associated counterions, co-ions, and water.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ailun Wang
- Department of Chemistry , Boston College , Chestnut Hill , Massachusetts 02467 , United States
| | - Udayan Mohanty
- Department of Chemistry , Boston College , Chestnut Hill , Massachusetts 02467 , United States
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18
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Baker MAB, Tuckwell AJ, Berengut JF, Bath J, Benn F, Duff AP, Whitten AE, Dunn KE, Hynson RM, Turberfield AJ, Lee LK. Dimensions and Global Twist of Single-Layer DNA Origami Measured by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering. ACS NANO 2018; 12:5791-5799. [PMID: 29812934 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b01669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The rational design of complementary DNA sequences can be used to create nanostructures that self-assemble with nanometer precision. DNA nanostructures have been imaged by atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) provides complementary structural information on the ensemble-averaged state of DNA nanostructures in solution. Here we demonstrate that SAXS can distinguish between different single-layer DNA origami tiles that look identical when immobilized on a mica surface and imaged with atomic force microscopy. We use SAXS to quantify the magnitude of global twist of DNA origami tiles with different crossover periodicities: these measurements highlight the extreme structural sensitivity of single-layer origami to the location of strand crossovers. We also use SAXS to quantify the distance between pairs of gold nanoparticles tethered to specific locations on a DNA origami tile and use this method to measure the overall dimensions and geometry of the DNA nanostructure in solution. Finally, we use indirect Fourier methods, which have long been used for the interpretation of SAXS data from biomolecules, to measure the distance between DNA helix pairs in a DNA origami nanotube. Together, these results provide important methodological advances in the use of SAXS to analyze DNA nanostructures in solution and insights into the structures of single-layer DNA origami.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A B Baker
- EMBL Australia Node for Single Molecule Science, School of Medical Sciences , The University of New South Wales , Sydney 2052 , Australia
| | - Andrew J Tuckwell
- EMBL Australia Node for Single Molecule Science, School of Medical Sciences , The University of New South Wales , Sydney 2052 , Australia
| | - Jonathan F Berengut
- EMBL Australia Node for Single Molecule Science, School of Medical Sciences , The University of New South Wales , Sydney 2052 , Australia
| | - Jonathan Bath
- Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics , University of Oxford , Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3PU , United Kingdom
| | - Florence Benn
- Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics , University of Oxford , Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3PU , United Kingdom
| | - Anthony P Duff
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation , Lucas Heights 2234 , Australia
| | - Andrew E Whitten
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation , Lucas Heights 2234 , Australia
| | - Katherine E Dunn
- Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics , University of Oxford , Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3PU , United Kingdom
| | - Robert M Hynson
- Structural and Computational Biology Division , The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute , Darlinghurst 2010 , Australia
| | - Andrew J Turberfield
- Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics , University of Oxford , Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3PU , United Kingdom
| | - Lawrence K Lee
- EMBL Australia Node for Single Molecule Science, School of Medical Sciences , The University of New South Wales , Sydney 2052 , Australia
- Structural and Computational Biology Division , The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute , Darlinghurst 2010 , Australia
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19
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Zettl T, Das R, Harbury PAB, Herschlag D, Lipfert J, Mathew RS, Shi X. Recording and Analyzing Nucleic Acid Distance Distributions with X-Ray Scattering Interferometry (XSI). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 73:e54. [PMID: 29927110 DOI: 10.1002/cpnc.54] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Most structural techniques provide averaged information or information about a single predominant conformational state. However, biological macromolecules typically function through series of conformations. Therefore, a complete understanding of macromolecular structures requires knowledge of the ensembles that represent probabilities on a conformational free energy landscape. Here we describe an emerging approach, X-ray scattering interferometry (XSI), a method that provides instantaneous distance distributions for molecules in solution. XSI uses gold nanocrystal labels site-specifically attached to a macromolecule and measures the scattering interference from pairs of heavy metal labels. The recorded signal can directly be transformed into a distance distribution between the two probes. We describe the underlying concepts, present a detailed protocol for preparing samples and recording XSI data, and provide a custom-written graphical user interface to facilitate XSI data analysis. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Zettl
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Rhiju Das
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California.,Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Pehr A B Harbury
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Daniel Herschlag
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Jan Lipfert
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Rebecca S Mathew
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Xuesong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California
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20
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Héliou A, Budday D, Fonseca R, van den Bedem H. Fast, clash-free RNA conformational morphing using molecular junctions. Bioinformatics 2018; 33:2114-2122. [PMID: 28334257 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btx127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivation Non-coding ribonucleic acids (ncRNA) are functional RNA molecules that are not translated into protein. They are extremely dynamic, adopting diverse conformational substates, which enables them to modulate their interaction with a large number of other molecules. The flexibility of ncRNA provides a challenge for probing their complex 3D conformational landscape, both experimentally and computationally. Results Despite their conformational diversity, ncRNAs mostly preserve their secondary structure throughout the dynamic ensemble. Here we present a kinematics-based procedure to morph an RNA molecule between conformational substates, while avoiding inter-atomic clashes. We represent an RNA as a kinematic linkage, with fixed groups of atoms as rigid bodies and rotatable bonds as degrees of freedom. Our procedure maintains RNA secondary structure by treating hydrogen bonds between base pairs as constraints. The constraints define a lower-dimensional, secondary-structure constraint manifold in conformation space, where motions are largely governed by molecular junctions of unpaired nucleotides. On a large benchmark set, we show that our morphing procedure compares favorably to peer algorithms, and can approach goal conformations to within a low all-atom RMSD by directing fewer than 1% of its atoms. Our results suggest that molecular junctions can modulate 3D structural rearrangements, while secondary structure elements guide large parts of the molecule along the transition to the correct final conformation. Availability and Implementation The source code, binaries and data are available at https://simtk.org/home/kgs . Contact amelie.heliou@polytechnique.edu or vdbedem@stanford.edu. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Héliou
- LIX, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, Inria, Université Paris-Saclay, Palaiseau, France
| | - Dominik Budday
- Chair of Applied Dynamics, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rasmus Fonseca
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Biosciences Division, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Henry van den Bedem
- Biosciences Division, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, USA
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21
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Zettl T, Mathew RS, Shi X, Doniach S, Herschlag D, Harbury PAB, Lipfert J. Gold nanocrystal labels provide a sequence-to-3D structure map in SAXS reconstructions. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaar4418. [PMID: 29806025 PMCID: PMC5969820 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aar4418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) is a powerful technique to probe the structure of biological macromolecules and their complexes under virtually arbitrary solution conditions, without the need for crystallization. While it is possible to reconstruct molecular shapes from SAXS data ab initio, the resulting electron density maps have a resolution of ~1 nm and are often insufficient to reliably assign secondary structure elements or domains. We show that SAXS data of gold-labeled samples significantly enhance the information content of SAXS measurements, allowing the unambiguous assignment of macromolecular sequence motifs to specific locations within a SAXS structure. We first demonstrate our approach for site-specifically internally and end-labeled DNA and an RNA motif. In addition, we present a protocol for highly uniform and site-specific labeling of proteins with small (~1.4 nm diameter) gold particles and apply our method to the signaling protein calmodulin. In all cases, the position of the small gold probes can be reliably identified in low-resolution electron density maps. Enhancing low-resolution measurements by site-selective gold labeling provides an attractive approach to aid modeling of a large range of macromolecular systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Zettl
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Rebecca S. Mathew
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Xuesong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sebastian Doniach
- Departments of Applied Physics and Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Daniel Herschlag
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Pehr A. B. Harbury
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jan Lipfert
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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22
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Bonilla S, Limouse C, Bisaria N, Gebala M, Mabuchi H, Herschlag D. Single-Molecule Fluorescence Reveals Commonalities and Distinctions among Natural and in Vitro-Selected RNA Tertiary Motifs in a Multistep Folding Pathway. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:18576-18589. [PMID: 29185740 PMCID: PMC5748328 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b08870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Decades
of study of the RNA folding problem have revealed that
diverse and complex structured RNAs are built from a common set of
recurring structural motifs, leading to the perspective that a generalizable
model of RNA folding may be developed from understanding of the folding
properties of individual structural motifs. We used single-molecule
fluorescence to dissect the kinetic and thermodynamic properties of
a set of variants of a common tertiary structural motif, the tetraloop/tetraloop-receptor
(TL/TLR). Our results revealed a multistep TL/TLR folding pathway
in which preorganization of the ubiquitous AA-platform submotif precedes
the formation of the docking transition state and tertiary A-minor
hydrogen bond interactions form after the docking transition state.
Differences in ion dependences between TL/TLR variants indicated the
occurrence of sequence-dependent conformational rearrangements prior
to and after the formation of the docking transition state. Nevertheless,
varying the junction connecting the TL/TLR produced a common kinetic
and ionic effect for all variants, suggesting that the global conformational
search and compaction electrostatics are energetically independent
from the formation of the tertiary motif contacts. We also found that in vitro-selected variants, despite their similar stability
at high Mg2+ concentrations, are considerably less stable
than natural variants under near-physiological ionic conditions, and
the occurrence of the TL/TLR sequence variants in Nature correlates
with their thermodynamic stability in isolation. Overall, our findings
are consistent with modular but complex energetic properties of RNA
structural motifs and will aid in the eventual quantitative description
of RNA folding from its secondary and tertiary structural elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Bonilla
- Department of Chemical Engineering, ‡Department of Applied Physics, §Department of Biochemistry, ∥Department of Chemistry, ⊥Stanford ChEM-H, Stanford University , Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Charles Limouse
- Department of Chemical Engineering, ‡Department of Applied Physics, §Department of Biochemistry, ∥Department of Chemistry, ⊥Stanford ChEM-H, Stanford University , Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Namita Bisaria
- Department of Chemical Engineering, ‡Department of Applied Physics, §Department of Biochemistry, ∥Department of Chemistry, ⊥Stanford ChEM-H, Stanford University , Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Magdalena Gebala
- Department of Chemical Engineering, ‡Department of Applied Physics, §Department of Biochemistry, ∥Department of Chemistry, ⊥Stanford ChEM-H, Stanford University , Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Hideo Mabuchi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, ‡Department of Applied Physics, §Department of Biochemistry, ∥Department of Chemistry, ⊥Stanford ChEM-H, Stanford University , Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Daniel Herschlag
- Department of Chemical Engineering, ‡Department of Applied Physics, §Department of Biochemistry, ∥Department of Chemistry, ⊥Stanford ChEM-H, Stanford University , Stanford, California 94305, United States
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23
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Ashraf S, Huang L, Lilley DMJ. Sequence determinants of the folding properties of box C/D kink-turns in RNA. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2017; 23:1927-1935. [PMID: 28956757 PMCID: PMC5689011 DOI: 10.1261/rna.063453.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Folding properties differ markedly between kink-turns (k-turns) that have different biological functions. While ribosomal and riboswitch k-turns generally fold into their kinked conformation on addition of metal ions, box C/D snoRNP k-turns remain completely unfolded under these conditions, although they fold on addition of L7Ae protein. Sequence elements have been systematically exchanged between a standard ribosomal k-turn (Kt-7) that folds on addition of metal ions, and a box C/D k-turn. Folding was studied using fluorescence resonance energy transfer and gel electrophoresis. Three sequence elements each contribute in an approximately additive manner to the different folding properties of Kt-7 and box C/D k-turns from archaea. Bioinformatic analysis indicates that k-turn sequences evolve sequences that suit their folding properties to their biological function. The majority of ribosomal and riboswitch k-turns have sequences allowing unassisted folding in response to the presence of metal ions. In contrast, box C/D k-turns have sequences that require the binding of proteins to drive folding into the kinked conformation, consistent with their role in the assembly of the box C/D snoRNP apparatus. The rules governing the influence of sequence on folding properties can be applied to other standard k-turns to predict their folding characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saira Ashraf
- Cancer Research UK Nucleic Acid Structure Research Group, MSI/WTB Complex, The University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Lin Huang
- Cancer Research UK Nucleic Acid Structure Research Group, MSI/WTB Complex, The University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - David M J Lilley
- Cancer Research UK Nucleic Acid Structure Research Group, MSI/WTB Complex, The University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
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24
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Shi X, Walker P, Harbury PB, Herschlag D. Determination of the conformational ensemble of the TAR RNA by X-ray scattering interferometry. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:e64. [PMID: 28108663 PMCID: PMC5416899 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw1352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The conformational ensembles of structured RNA's are crucial for biological function, but they remain difficult to elucidate experimentally. We demonstrate with HIV-1 TAR RNA that X-ray scattering interferometry (XSI) can be used to determine RNA conformational ensembles. X-ray scattering interferometry (XSI) is based on site-specifically labeling RNA with pairs of heavy atom probes, and precisely measuring the distribution of inter-probe distances that arise from a heterogeneous mixture of RNA solution structures. We show that the XSI-based model of the TAR RNA ensemble closely resembles an independent model derived from NMR-RDC data. Further, we show how the TAR RNA ensemble changes shape at different salt concentrations. Finally, we demonstrate that a single hybrid model of the TAR RNA ensemble simultaneously fits both the XSI and NMR-RDC data set and show that XSI can be combined with NMR-RDC to further improve the quality of the determined ensemble. The results suggest that XSI-RNA will be a powerful approach for characterizing the solution conformational ensembles of RNAs and RNA-protein complexes under diverse solution conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuesong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Peter Walker
- Protein and Nucleic Acids Facility, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Pehr B Harbury
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Daniel Herschlag
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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25
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Quantitative tests of a reconstitution model for RNA folding thermodynamics and kinetics. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E7688-E7696. [PMID: 28839094 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1703507114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Decades of study of the architecture and function of structured RNAs have led to the perspective that RNA tertiary structure is modular, made of locally stable domains that retain their structure across RNAs. We formalize a hypothesis inspired by this modularity-that RNA folding thermodynamics and kinetics can be quantitatively predicted from separable energetic contributions of the individual components of a complex RNA. This reconstitution hypothesis considers RNA tertiary folding in terms of ΔGalign, the probability of aligning tertiary contact partners, and ΔGtert, the favorable energetic contribution from the formation of tertiary contacts in an aligned state. This hypothesis predicts that changes in the alignment of tertiary contacts from different connecting helices and junctions (ΔGHJH) or from changes in the electrostatic environment (ΔG+/-) will not affect the energetic perturbation from a mutation in a tertiary contact (ΔΔGtert). Consistent with these predictions, single-molecule FRET measurements of folding of model RNAs revealed constant ΔΔGtert values for mutations in a tertiary contact embedded in different structural contexts and under different electrostatic conditions. The kinetic effects of these mutations provide further support for modular behavior of RNA elements and suggest that tertiary mutations may be used to identify rate-limiting steps and dissect folding and assembly pathways for complex RNAs. Overall, our model and results are foundational for a predictive understanding of RNA folding that will allow manipulation of RNA folding thermodynamics and kinetics. Conversely, the approaches herein can identify cases where an independent, additive model cannot be applied and so require additional investigation.
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26
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Sun LZ, Zhang JX, Chen SJ. MCTBI: a web server for predicting metal ion effects in RNA structures. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2017; 23:1155-1165. [PMID: 28450533 PMCID: PMC5513060 DOI: 10.1261/rna.060947.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2017] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Metal ions play critical roles in RNA structure and function. However, web servers and software packages for predicting ion effects in RNA structures are notably scarce. Furthermore, the existing web servers and software packages mainly neglect ion correlation and fluctuation effects, which are potentially important for RNAs. We here report a new web server, the MCTBI server (http://rna.physics.missouri.edu/MCTBI), for the prediction of ion effects for RNA structures. This server is based on the recently developed MCTBI, a model that can account for ion correlation and fluctuation effects for nucleic acid structures and can provide improved predictions for the effects of metal ions, especially for multivalent ions such as Mg2+ effects, as shown by extensive theory-experiment test results. The MCTBI web server predicts metal ion binding fractions, the most probable bound ion distribution, the electrostatic free energy of the system, and the free energy components. The results provide mechanistic insights into the role of metal ions in RNA structure formation and folding stability, which is important for understanding RNA functions and the rational design of RNA structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Zhen Sun
- Department of Physics, Department of Biochemistry, and Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
- Department of Applied Physics, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China
| | - Jing-Xiang Zhang
- School of Science and Technology, Zhejiang International Studies University, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Shi-Jie Chen
- Department of Physics, Department of Biochemistry, and Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
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27
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Abstract
In addition to continuous rapid progress in RNA structure determination, probing, and biophysical studies, the past decade has seen remarkable advances in the development of a new generation of RNA folding theories and models. In this article, we review RNA structure prediction models and models for ion-RNA and ligand-RNA interactions. These new models are becoming increasingly important for a mechanistic understanding of RNA function and quantitative design of RNA nanotechnology. We focus on new methods for physics-based, knowledge-based, and experimental data-directed modeling for RNA structures and explore the new theories for the predictions of metal ion and ligand binding sites and metal ion-dependent RNA stabilities. The integration of these new methods with theories about the cellular environment effects in RNA folding, such as molecular crowding and cotranscriptional kinetic effects, may ultimately lead to an all-encompassing RNA folding model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Zhen Sun
- Department of Physics, Department of Biochemistry, and MU Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211;
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Physics, Department of Biochemistry, and MU Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211;
| | - Shi-Jie Chen
- Department of Physics, Department of Biochemistry, and MU Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211;
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28
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Bui MN, Brittany Johnson M, Viard M, Satterwhite E, Martins AN, Li Z, Marriott I, Afonin KA, Khisamutdinov EF. Versatile RNA tetra-U helix linking motif as a toolkit for nucleic acid nanotechnology. NANOMEDICINE-NANOTECHNOLOGY BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2017; 13:1137-1146. [PMID: 28064006 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2016.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
RNA nanotechnology employs synthetically modified ribonucleic acid (RNA) to engineer highly stable nanostructures in one, two, and three dimensions for medical applications. Despite the tremendous advantages in RNA nanotechnology, unmodified RNA itself is fragile and prone to enzymatic degradation. In contrast to use traditionally modified RNA strands e.g. 2'-fluorine, 2'-amine, 2'-methyl, we studied the effect of RNA/DNA hybrid approach utilizing a computer-assisted RNA tetra-uracil (tetra-U) motif as a toolkit to address questions related to assembly efficiency, versatility, stability, and the production costs of hybrid RNA/DNA nanoparticles. The tetra-U RNA motif was implemented to construct four functional triangles using RNA, DNA and RNA/DNA mixtures, resulting in fine-tunable enzymatic and thermodynamic stabilities, immunostimulatory activity and RNAi capability. Moreover, the tetra-U toolkit has great potential in the fabrication of rectangular, pentagonal, and hexagonal NPs, representing the power of simplicity of RNA/DNA approach for RNA nanotechnology and nanomedicine community.
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Affiliation(s)
- My N Bui
- Department of Chemistry, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, USA
| | - M Brittany Johnson
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Mathias Viard
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., RNA Biology Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Emily Satterwhite
- Nanoscale Science Program, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, The Center for Biomedical Engineering and Science, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Angelica N Martins
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Zhihai Li
- Department of Chemistry, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, USA
| | - Ian Marriott
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, The Center for Biomedical Engineering and Science, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
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29
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Zettl T, Mathew RS, Seifert S, Doniach S, Harbury PAB, Lipfert J. Absolute Intramolecular Distance Measurements with Angstrom-Resolution Using Anomalous Small-Angle X-ray Scattering. NANO LETTERS 2016; 16:5353-5357. [PMID: 27244097 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b01160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Accurate determination of molecular distances is fundamental to understanding the structure, dynamics, and conformational ensembles of biological macromolecules. Here we present a method to determine the full distance distribution between small (∼7 Å radius) gold labels attached to macromolecules with very high-precision (≤1 Å) and on an absolute distance scale. Our method uses anomalous small-angle X-ray scattering close to a gold absorption edge to separate the gold-gold interference pattern from other scattering contributions. Results for 10-30 bp DNA constructs achieve excellent signal-to-noise and are in good agreement with previous results obtained by single-energy SAXS measurements without requiring the preparation and measurement of single labeled and unlabeled samples. The use of small gold labels in combination with ASAXS read out provides an attractive approach to determining molecular distance distributions that will be applicable to a broad range of macromolecular systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Zettl
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich , Amalienstrasse 54, 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Rebecca S Mathew
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Sönke Seifert
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory , Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | | | | | - Jan Lipfert
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich , Amalienstrasse 54, 80799 Munich, Germany
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30
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Esquiaqui JM, Sherman EM, Ye JD, Fanucci GE. Conformational Flexibility and Dynamics of the Internal Loop and Helical Regions of the Kink–Turn Motif in the Glycine Riboswitch by Site-Directed Spin-Labeling. Biochemistry 2016; 55:4295-305. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jackie M. Esquiaqui
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Florida, P.O. Box 117200, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Eileen M. Sherman
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, 4000 Central Florida Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32816, United States
| | - Jing-Dong Ye
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, 4000 Central Florida Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32816, United States
| | - Gail E. Fanucci
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Florida, P.O. Box 117200, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
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31
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Wang YX. Lightening up invisible states. Nat Chem Biol 2016; 12:126-7. [DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.2030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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