Structure of an Escherichia coli Hfq:RNA complex at 0.97 A resolution.

ABSTRACT: In bacteria, small RNAs (sRNAs) silence or activate target genes through base pairing with the mRNA, thereby modulating its translation. A central player in this process is the RNA chaperone Hfq, which facilitates the annealing of sRNAs with their target mRNAs. Hfq has two RNA-binding surfaces that recognize A-rich and U-rich sequences, and is believed to bind an sRNA-mRNA pair simultaneously. However, how Hfq promotes annealing remains unclear. Here, the crystal structure of Escherichia coli Hfq is presented in complex with U6-RNA bound to its proximal binding site at 0.97 Å resolution, revealing the Hfq-RNA interaction in exceptional detail.

SUBMITTER: Schulz EC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4231850 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature