Mitochondrial Transcription Factor A (TFAM) Binds to RNA Containing 4-Way Junctions and Mitochondrial tRNA.

ABSTRACT: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is maintained within nucleoprotein complexes known as nucleoids. These structures are highly condensed by the DNA packaging protein, mitochondrial Transcription Factor A (TFAM). Nucleoids also include RNA, RNA:DNA hybrids, and are associated with proteins involved with RNA processing and mitochondrial ribosome biogenesis. Here we characterize the ability of TFAM to bind various RNA containing substrates in order to determine their role in TFAM distribution and function within the nucleoid. We find that TFAM binds to RNA-containing 4-way junctions but does not bind appreciably to RNA hairpins, internal loops, or linear RNA:DNA hybrids. Therefore the RNA within nucleoids largely excludes TFAM, and its distribution is not grossly altered with removal of RNA. Within t

SUBMITTER: Brown TA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4636309 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature