Semiautomated and rapid quantification of nucleic acid footprinting and structure mapping experiments

Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein stimulates the poliovirus IRES by modulating eIF4G binding

Tethered hydroxyl-radical probing has been used to determine the orientation of binding of polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB) to the poliovirus type 1 (Mahoney) (PV-1(M)) internal ribosome entry site/segment (IRES)-the question of which RNA-binding domain (RBD) binds to which sites on the IRES. The results show that under conditions in which PTB strongly stimulates IRES activity, a single PTB is binding to the IRES, a finding which was confirmed by mass spectrometry of PTB/IRES complexes. RBDs1 and 2 interact with the basal part of the Domain V irregular stem loop, very close to the binding site of eIF4G, and RBDs3 and 4 interact with the single-stranded regions flanking Domain V. The binding of PTB is subtly altered in the presence of the central domain (p50) of eIF4G, and p50 binding is likewise modified if PTB is present. This suggests that PTB stimulates PV-1(M) IRES activity by inducing eIF4G to bind in the optimal position and orientation to promote internal ribosome entry, which, in PV-1(M), is at an AUG triplet 30 nt downstream of the base of Domain V.

Direct strand scission from a nucleobase radical in RNA

RNA oxidation is important in the etiology of disease and as a tool for studying the structure and folding kinetics of this biopolymer. Nucleobase radicals are the major family of reactive intermediates produced in RNA exposed to diffusible species such as hydroxyl radical. The nucleobase radicals are believed to produce direct strand breaks by abstracting hydrogen atoms from their own and neighboring ribose rings. By independently generating the formal C5 hydrogen atom addition product of uridine in RNA, we provide the first chemical characterization of the pathway for direct strand scission from an RNA nucleobase radical. The process is more efficient under anaerobic conditions. The preference for strand scission in double-stranded RNA over single-stranded RNA suggests that this chemistry may be useful for analyzing the secondary structure of RNA in hydroxyl radical cleavage experiments if they are carried out under anaerobic conditions.

5'-UTR G-quadruplex structures acting as translational repressors

Given that greater than 90% of the human genome is expressed, it is logical to assume that post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms must be the primary means of controlling the flow of information from mRNA to protein. This report describes a robust approach that includes in silico, in vitro and in cellulo experiments permitting an in-depth evaluation of the impact of G-quadruplexes as translational repressors. Sequences including potential G-quadruplexes were selected within nine distinct genes encoding proteins involved in various biological processes. Their abilities to fold into G-quadruplex structures in vitro were evaluated using circular dichroism, thermal denaturation and the novel use of in-line probing. Six sequences were observed to fold into G-quadruplex structures in vitro, all of which exhibited translational inhibition in cellulo when linked to a reporter gene. Sequence analysis, direct mutagenesis and subsequent experiments were performed in order to define the rules governing the folding of G-quadruplexes. In addition, the impact of single-nucleotide polymorphism was shown to be important in the formation of G-quadruplexes located within the 5'-untranslated region of an mRNA. In light of these results, clearly the 5'-UTR G-quadruplexes represent a class of translational repressors that is broadly distributed in the cell.

Advances in RNA structure analysis by chemical probing

RNA is arguably the most versatile biological macromolecule because of its ability both to encode and to manipulate genetic information. The diverse roles of RNA depend on its ability to fold back on itself to form biologically functional structures that bind small molecule and large protein ligands, to change conformation, and to affect the cellular regulatory state. These features of RNA biology can be structurally interrogated using chemical mapping experiments. The usefulness and applications of RNA chemical probing technologies have expanded dramatically over the past five years because of several critical advances. These innovations include new sequence-independent RNA chemistries, algorithmic tools for high-throughput analysis of complex data sets composed of thousands of measurements, new approaches for interpreting chemical probing data for both secondary and tertiary structure prediction, facile methods for following time-dependent processes, and the willingness of individual research groups to tackle increasingly bold problems in RNA structural biology.

Rapid cleavage of RNA by RNase E in the absence of 5' monophosphate stimulation

The best characterized pathway for the initiation of mRNA degradation in Escherichia coli involves the removal of the 5'-terminal pyrophosphate to generate a monophosphate group that stimulates endonucleolytic cleavage by RNase E. We show here however, using well-characterized oligonucleotide substrates and mRNA transcripts, that RNase E can cleave certain RNAs rapidly without requiring a 5'-monophosphorylated end. Moreover, the minimum substrate requirement for this mode of cleavage, which can be categorized as 'direct' or 'internal' entry, appears to be multiple single-stranded segments in a conformational context that allows their simultaneous interaction with RNase E. While previous work has alluded to the existence of a 5' end-independent mechanism of mRNA degradation, the relative simplicity of the requirements identified here for direct entry suggests that it could represent a major means by which mRNA degradation is initiated in E. coli and other organisms that contain homologues of RNase E. Our results have implications for the interplay of translation and mRNA degradation and models of gene regulation by small non-coding RNAs.

The Crc global regulator binds to an unpaired A-rich motif at the Pseudomonas putida alkS mRNA coding sequence and inhibits translation initiation

Crc is a key global translational regulator in Pseudomonads that orchestrates the hierarchy of induction of several catabolic pathways for amino acids, sugars, hydrocarbons or aromatic compounds. In the presence of amino acids, which are preferred carbon sources, Crc inhibits translation of the Pseudomonas putida alkS and benR mRNAs, which code for transcriptional regulators of genes required to assimilate alkanes (hydrocarbons) and benzoate (an aromatic compound), respectively. Crc binds to the 5′-end of these mRNAs, but the sequence and/or structure recognized, and the way in which it inhibits translation, were unknown. We have determined the secondary structure of the alkS mRNA 5′-end through its sensitivity to several ribonucleases and chemical reagents. Footprinting and band-shift assays using variant alkS mRNAs have shown that Crc specifically binds to a short unpaired A-rich sequence located adjacent to the alkS AUG start codon. This interaction is stable enough to prevent formation of the translational initiation complex. A similar Crc-binding site was localized at benR mRNA, upstream of the Shine–Dalgarno sequence. This allowed predicting binding sites at other Crc-regulated genes, deriving a consensus sequence that will help to validate new Crc targets and to discriminate between direct and indirect effects of this regulator.

Rapid quantification and analysis of kinetic •OH radical footprinting data using SAFA

The use of highly reactive chemical species to probe the structure and dynamics of nucleic acids is greatly simplified by software that enables rapid quantification of the gel images that result from these experiments. Semiautomated footprinting analysis (SAFA) allows a user to quickly and reproducibly quantify a chemical footprinting gel image through a series of steps that rectify, assign, and integrate the relative band intensities. The output of this procedure is raw band intensities that report on the relative reactivity of each nucleotide with the chemical probe. We describe here how to obtain these raw band intensities using SAFA and the subsequent normalization and analysis procedures required to process these data. In particular, we focus on analyzing time-resolved hydroxyl radical ((•)OH) data, which we use to monitor the kinetics of folding of a large RNA (the L-21 T. thermophila group I intron). Exposing the RNA to bursts of (•)OH radicals at specific time points during the folding process monitors the time progress of the reaction. Specifically, we identify protected (nucleotides that become inaccessible to the (•)OH radical probe when folded) and invariant (nucleotides with constant accessibility to the (•)OH probe) residues that we use for monitoring and normalization of the data. With this analysis, we obtain time-progress curves from which we determine kinetic rates of folding. We also report on a data visualization tool implemented in SAFA that allows users to map data onto a secondary structure diagram.

Hydroxyl-radical footprinting to probe equilibrium changes in RNA tertiary structure

Hydroxyl-radical footprinting utilizes the ability of a highly reactive species to nonspecifically cleave the solvent accessible regions of a nucleic acid backbone. Thus, changes in a nucleic acids structure can be probed either as a function of time or of a reagent's concentration. When combined with techniques that allow single nucleotide resolution of the resulting fragments, footprinting experiments provide richly detailed information about local changes in tertiary structure of a nucleic acid accompanying its folding or ligand binding. In this chapter, we present two protocols of equilibrium hydroxyl-radical footprinting based on peroxidative and oxidative Fenton chemistry and discuss how to adjust the Fenton reagent concentrations for a specific experimental condition. We also discuss the choice of the techniques to separate the reaction products and specifics of the data analysis for equilibrium footprinting experiments. Protocols addressing the use of peroxidative Fenton chemistry for time-resolved studies have been published [Schlatterer and Brenowitz, 2009. Methods; Shcherbakova and Brenowitz, 2008. Nat. Protoc.3(2), 288-302; Shcherbakova et al., 2006. Nucleic Acids Res.34(6), e48; Shcherbakova et al., 2007. Methods Cell Biol.84, 589-615].

Nucleotide analog interference mapping

Nucleotide analog interference mapping (NAIM) is a powerful chemogenetic technique that rapidly identifies chemical groups essential for RNA function. Using a series of phosphorothioate-tagged nucleotide analogs, each carrying different modifications of nucleobase or backbone functionalities, it is possible to simultaneously, yet individually, assess the contribution of particular functional groups to an RNA's activity at every position within the molecule. In contrast to traditional mutagenesis, which modifies RNA on the nucleobase level, the smallest mutable unit in a NAIM analysis is a single atom, providing a detailed description of interactions at critical nucleotides. Because the method introduces modified nucleotides by in vitro transcription, NAIM offers a straightforward and efficient approach to study any RNA that has a selectable function, and it can be applied to RNAs of nearly any length.

Chemical probing of RNA and RNA/protein complexes

Chemical probing is widely used as a rapid approach for assessing RNA structure, folding, and function. In this chapter, we outline procedures for handling and using chemicals commonly used to probe nucleic acids. Detailed experimental conditions and design for footprinting and modification interference are presented herein. Protocols for RNA extraction, normalization, primer extension, and data evaluation are also provided. The methods described are designed to aid in the study of large RNAs, but with slight modifications are applicable to smaller RNAs.