Pseudoknot Formation Seeds the Twister Ribozyme Cleavage Reaction Coordinate.

ABSTRACT: The twister RNA is a recently discovered nucleolytic ribozyme that is present in both bacteria and eukarya. While its biological role remains unclear, crystal structure analyses and biochemical approaches have revealed critical features of its catalytic mechanism. Here, we set out to explore dynamic aspects of twister RNA folding along the cleavage reaction coordinate. To do so, we have employed both bulk and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) methods to investigate a set of twister RNAs with labels strategically positioned at communicating segments. The data reveal that folding of the central pseudoknot (T1), the most crucial structural determinant to promote cleavage, exhibits reversible opening and closing dynamics at physiological Mg²⁺ concentratio

SUBMITTER: Vusurovic N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5697751 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature