1
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Sumi S, Hamada M, Saito H. Deep generative design of RNA family sequences. Nat Methods 2024; 21:435-443. [PMID: 38238559 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-02148-8] [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] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
RNA engineering has immense potential to drive innovation in biotechnology and medicine. Despite its importance, a versatile platform for the automated design of functional RNA is still lacking. Here, we propose RNA family sequence generator (RfamGen), a deep generative model that designs RNA family sequences in a data-efficient manner by explicitly incorporating alignment and consensus secondary structure information. RfamGen can generate novel and functional RNA family sequences by sampling points from a semantically rich and continuous representation. We have experimentally demonstrated the versatility of RfamGen using diverse RNA families. Furthermore, we confirmed the high success rate of RfamGen in designing functional ribozymes through a quantitative massively parallel assay. Notably, RfamGen successfully generates artificial sequences with higher activity than natural sequences. Overall, RfamGen significantly improves our ability to design functional RNA and opens up new potential for generative RNA engineering in synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Sumi
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michiaki Hamada
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan.
- Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Hirohide Saito
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
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2
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Deng J, Fang X, Huang L, Li S, Xu L, Ye K, Zhang J, Zhang K, Zhang QC. RNA structure determination: From 2D to 3D. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 3:727-737. [PMID: 38933295 PMCID: PMC11197651 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2023.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA molecules serve a wide range of functions that are closely linked to their structures. The basic structural units of RNA consist of single- and double-stranded regions. In order to carry out advanced functions such as catalysis and ligand binding, certain types of RNAs can adopt higher-order structures. The analysis of RNA structures has progressed alongside advancements in structural biology techniques, but it comes with its own set of challenges and corresponding solutions. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in RNA structure analysis techniques, including structural probing methods, X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance, cryo-electron microscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering. Often, a combination of multiple techniques is employed for the integrated analysis of RNA structures. We also survey important RNA structures that have been recently determined using various techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Deng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Xianyang Fang
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Lin Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics and Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Lilei Xu
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Keqiong Ye
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinsong Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology & 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
| | - Kaiming Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics and Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Qiangfeng Cliff Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology & 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
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3
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Watkins AM, Das R. RNA 3D Modeling with FARFAR2, Online. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2586:233-249. [PMID: 36705908 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2768-6_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the three-dimensional structure of an RNA molecule is often essential to understanding its function. Sampling algorithms and energy functions for RNA structure prediction are improving, due to the increasing diversity of structural data available for training statistical potentials and testing structural data, along with a steady supply of blind challenges through the RNA-Puzzles initiative. The recent FARFAR2 algorithm enables near-native structure predictions on fairly complex RNA structures, including automated selection of final candidate models and estimation of model accuracy. Here, we describe the use of a publicly available webserver for RNA modeling for realistic scenarios using FARFAR2, available at https://rosie.rosettacommons.org/farfar2 . We walk through two cases in some detail: a simple model pseudoknot from the frameshifting element of beet western yellows virus modeled using the "basic interface" to the webserver and a replication of RNA-Puzzle 20, a metagenomic twister sister ribozyme, using the "advanced interface." We also describe example runs of FARFAR2 modeling including two kinds of experimental data: a c-di-GMP riboswitch modeled with low-resolution restraints from MOHCA-seq experiments and a tandem GA motif modeled with 1H NMR chemical shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Watkins
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Prescient Design, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rhiju Das
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Biophysics Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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4
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Peng H, Latifi B, Müller S, Lupták A, Chen IA. Self-cleaving ribozymes: substrate specificity and synthetic biology applications. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:1370-1383. [PMID: 34704043 PMCID: PMC8495972 DOI: 10.1039/d0cb00207k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Various self-cleaving ribozymes appearing in nature catalyze the sequence-specific intramolecular cleavage of RNA and can be engineered to catalyze cleavage of appropriate substrates in an intermolecular fashion, thus acting as true catalysts. The mechanisms of the small, self-cleaving ribozymes have been extensively studied and reviewed previously. Self-cleaving ribozymes can possess high catalytic activity and high substrate specificity; however, substrate specificity is also engineerable within the constraints of the ribozyme structure. While these ribozymes share a common fundamental catalytic mechanism, each ribozyme family has a unique overall architecture and active site organization, indicating that several distinct structures yield this chemical activity. The multitude of catalytic structures, combined with some flexibility in substrate specificity within each family, suggests that such catalytic RNAs, taken together, could access a wide variety of substrates. Here, we give an overview of 10 classes of self-cleaving ribozymes and capture what is understood about their substrate specificity and synthetic applications. Evolution of these ribozymes in an RNA world might be characterized by the emergence of a new ribozyme family followed by rapid adaptation or diversification for specific substrates. Self-cleaving ribozymes have become important tools of synthetic biology. Here we summarize the substrate specificity and applications of the main classes of these ribozymes.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Peng
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
| | - Brandon Latifi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine CA 92697 USA
| | - Sabine Müller
- Institute for Biochemistry, University Greifswald 17487 Greifswald Germany
| | - Andrej Lupták
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine CA 92697 USA
| | - Irene A Chen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
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5
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Kumar N, Marx D. On the Adaptability of the Chemical Reaction of Hairpin Ribozyme to High Pressures. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:9298-9303. [PMID: 33085887 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c02902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of RNA enzymes, ribozymes, provided strong support to the RNA world hypothesis suggesting that early life evolved from RNAs able to both store genetic information and catalyze biochemical reactions. Moreover, evidence is accumulating that primitive life might have emerged in deep-sea environments and, thus, at high hydrostatic pressures. If true, ribozymes should be able to function under those pressures. In this work, we ask if and possibly how ribozymes could function at high pressures. To this end, we specifically focus on the chemical reaction steps of the self-cleavage catalysis of hairpin ribozyme by employing extensive QM/MM metadynamics simulations. We find that the reaction scenario at high pressures is vastly different than that at ambient conditions, yet the rate-limiting reaction barrier and, thus, the reaction rate are only marginally affected. Therefore, the results indeed suggest that ribozymes would function at high pressures but by following a vastly different reaction scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narendra Kumar
- Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Dominik Marx
- Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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6
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Micura R, Höbartner C. Fundamental studies of functional nucleic acids: aptamers, riboswitches, ribozymes and DNAzymes. Chem Soc Rev 2020; 49:7331-7353. [PMID: 32944725 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs00617c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This review aims at juxtaposing common versus distinct structural and functional strategies that are applied by aptamers, riboswitches, and ribozymes/DNAzymes. Focusing on recently discovered systems, we begin our analysis with small-molecule binding aptamers, with emphasis on in vitro-selected fluorogenic RNA aptamers and their different modes of ligand binding and fluorescence activation. Fundamental insights are much needed to advance RNA imaging probes for detection of exo- and endogenous RNA and for RNA process tracking. Secondly, we discuss the latest gene expression-regulating mRNA riboswitches that respond to the alarmone ppGpp, to PRPP, to NAD+, to adenosine and cytidine diphosphates, and to precursors of thiamine biosynthesis (HMP-PP), and we outline new subclasses of SAM and tetrahydrofolate-binding RNA regulators. Many riboswitches bind protein enzyme cofactors that, in principle, can catalyse a chemical reaction. For RNA, however, only one system (glmS ribozyme) has been identified in Nature thus far that utilizes a small molecule - glucosamine-6-phosphate - to participate directly in reaction catalysis (phosphodiester cleavage). We wonder why that is the case and what is to be done to reveal such likely existing cellular activities that could be more diverse than currently imagined. Thirdly, this brings us to the four latest small nucleolytic ribozymes termed twister, twister-sister, pistol, and hatchet as well as to in vitro selected DNA and RNA enzymes that promote new chemistry, mainly by exploiting their ability for RNA labelling and nucleoside modification recognition. Enormous progress in understanding the strategies of nucleic acids catalysts has been made by providing thorough structural fundaments (e.g. first structure of a DNAzyme, structures of ribozyme transition state mimics) in combination with functional assays and atomic mutagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Micura
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck CMBI, Leopold-Franzens University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
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7
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Watkins AM, Rangan R, Das R. FARFAR2: Improved De Novo Rosetta Prediction of Complex Global RNA Folds. Structure 2020; 28:963-976.e6. [PMID: 32531203 PMCID: PMC7415647 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2020.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Predicting RNA three-dimensional structures from sequence could accelerate understanding of the growing number of RNA molecules being discovered across biology. Rosetta's Fragment Assembly of RNA with Full-Atom Refinement (FARFAR) has shown promise in community-wide blind RNA-Puzzle trials, but lack of a systematic and automated benchmark has left unclear what limits FARFAR performance. Here, we benchmark FARFAR2, an algorithm integrating RNA-Puzzle-inspired innovations with updated fragment libraries and helix modeling. In 16 of 21 RNA-Puzzles revisited without experimental data or expert intervention, FARFAR2 recovers native-like structures more accurate than models submitted during the RNA-Puzzles trials. Remaining bottlenecks include conformational sampling for >80-nucleotide problems and scoring function limitations more generally. Supporting these conclusions, preregistered blind models for adenovirus VA-I RNA and five riboswitch complexes predicted native-like folds with 3- to 14 Å root-mean-square deviation accuracies. We present a FARFAR2 webserver and three large model archives (FARFAR2-Classics, FARFAR2-Motifs, and FARFAR2-Puzzles) to guide future applications and advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Martin Watkins
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ramya Rangan
- Biophysics Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Rhiju Das
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Biophysics Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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8
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Teplova M, Falschlunger C, Krasheninina O, Egger M, Ren A, Patel DJ, Micura R. Crucial Roles of Two Hydrated Mg
2+
Ions in Reaction Catalysis of the Pistol Ribozyme. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201912522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Teplova
- Structural Biology ProgramMemorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center New York New York 10065 USA
| | - Christoph Falschlunger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular BiosciencesLeopold-Franzens University Innrain 80–82 6020 Innsbruck Austria
| | - Olga Krasheninina
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular BiosciencesLeopold-Franzens University Innrain 80–82 6020 Innsbruck Austria
| | - Michaela Egger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular BiosciencesLeopold-Franzens University Innrain 80–82 6020 Innsbruck Austria
| | - Aiming Ren
- Life Sciences InstituteZhejiang University Hangzhou Zhejiang 310058 China
| | - Dinshaw J. Patel
- Structural Biology ProgramMemorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center New York New York 10065 USA
| | - Ronald Micura
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular BiosciencesLeopold-Franzens University Innrain 80–82 6020 Innsbruck Austria
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9
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Teplova M, Falschlunger C, Krasheninina O, Egger M, Ren A, Patel DJ, Micura R. Crucial Roles of Two Hydrated Mg 2+ Ions in Reaction Catalysis of the Pistol Ribozyme. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:2837-2843. [PMID: 31804735 PMCID: PMC7027511 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201912522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Pistol ribozymes constitute a new class of small self‐cleaving RNAs. Crystal structures have been solved, providing three‐dimensional snapshots along the reaction coordinate of pistol phosphodiester cleavage, corresponding to the pre‐catalytic state, a vanadate mimic of the transition state, and the product. The results led to the proposed underlying chemical mechanism. Importantly, a hydrated Mg2+ ion remains innersphere‐coordinated to N7 of G33 in all three states, and is consistent with its likely role as acid in general acid base catalysis (δ and β catalysis). Strikingly, the new structures shed light on a second hydrated Mg2+ ion that approaches the scissile phosphate from its binding site in the pre‐cleavage state to reach out for water‐mediated hydrogen bonding in the cyclophosphate product. The major role of the second Mg2+ ion appears to be the stabilization of product conformation. This study delivers a mechanistic understanding of ribozyme‐catalyzed backbone cleavage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Teplova
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, 10065, USA
| | - Christoph Falschlunger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, Leopold-Franzens University, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Olga Krasheninina
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, Leopold-Franzens University, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michaela Egger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, Leopold-Franzens University, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Aiming Ren
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Dinshaw J Patel
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, 10065, USA
| | - Ronald Micura
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, Leopold-Franzens University, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
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10
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Maurel MC, Leclerc F, Hervé G. Ribozyme Chemistry: To Be or Not To Be under High Pressure. Chem Rev 2019; 120:4898-4918. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Christine Maurel
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, EPHE, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Fabrice Leclerc
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CNRS, CEA, Université Paris Sud, F-91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Guy Hervé
- Laboratoire BIOSIPE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Campus Pierre et Marie Curie, F-75005 Paris, France
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11
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Abstract
The nucleolytic ribozymes carry out site-specific RNA cleavage reactions by nucleophilic attack of the 2'-oxygen atom on the adjacent phosphorus with an acceleration of a million-fold or greater. A major part of this arises from concerted general acid-base catalysis. Recent identification of new ribozymes has expanded the group to a total of nine and this provides a new opportunity to identify sub-groupings according to the nature of the general base and acid. These include nucleobases, hydrated metal ions, and 2'-hydroxyl groups. Evolution has selected a number of different combinations of these elements that lead to efficient catalysis. These differences provide a new mechanistic basis for classifying these ribozymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M.J. Lilley
- Cancer Research UK Nucleic Acid Structure Research Group, MSI/WTB Complex, The University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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12
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Gasser C, Gebetsberger J, Gebetsberger M, Micura R. SHAPE probing pictures Mg2+-dependent folding of small self-cleaving ribozymes. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:6983-6995. [PMID: 29924364 PMCID: PMC6101554 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-cleaving ribozymes are biologically relevant RNA molecules which catalyze site-specific cleavage of the phosphodiester backbone. Gathering knowledge of their three-dimensional structures is critical toward an in-depth understanding of their function and chemical mechanism. Equally important is collecting information on the folding process and the inherent dynamics of a ribozyme fold. Over the past years, Selective-2′-Hydroxyl Acylation analyzed by Primer Extension (SHAPE) turned out to be a significant tool to probe secondary and tertiary interactions of diverse RNA species at the single nucleotide level under varying environmental conditions. Small self-cleaving ribozymes, however, have not been investigated by this method so far. Here, we describe SHAPE probing of pre-catalytic folds of the recently discovered ribozyme classes twister, twister-sister (TS), pistol and hatchet. The study has implications on Mg2+-dependent folding and reveals potentially dynamic residues of these ribozymes that are otherwise difficult to identify. For twister, TS and pistol ribozymes the new findings are discussed in the light of their crystal structures, and in case of twister also with respect to a smFRET folding analysis. For the hatchet ribozyme where an atomic resolution structure is not yet available, the SHAPE data challenge the proposed secondary structure model and point at selected residues and putative long-distance interactions that appear crucial for structure formation and cleavage activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherina Gasser
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck CMBI, Leopold-Franzens University, Innrain 80-82, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Jennifer Gebetsberger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck CMBI, Leopold-Franzens University, Innrain 80-82, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Manuel Gebetsberger
- Division for Biomedical Physics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Müllerstraße 44, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Ronald Micura
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck CMBI, Leopold-Franzens University, Innrain 80-82, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
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13
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Abstract
Self-cleaving ribozymes are RNAs that catalyze position-specific cleavage of their phosphodiester backbone. The cleavage site of the newly discovered hatchet ribozyme is located at the very 5′ end of its consensus secondary structure motif. Here we report on the 2.1-Å crystal structure of the hatchet ribozyme in the product state, which defines its intricate tertiary fold and identifies key residues lining the catalytic pocket. This in turn has allowed us to propose a model of the precatalytic state structure and a role in catalysis for a conserved guanine. This study therefore provides a structure-based platform toward an improved understanding of the catalytic mechanism of hatchet ribozymes. Small self-cleaving ribozymes catalyze site-specific cleavage of their own phosphodiester backbone with implications for viral genome replication, pre-mRNA processing, and alternative splicing. We report on the 2.1-Å crystal structure of the hatchet ribozyme product, which adopts a compact pseudosymmetric dimeric scaffold, with each monomer stabilized by long-range interactions involving highly conserved nucleotides brought into close proximity of the scissile phosphate. Strikingly, the catalytic pocket contains a cavity capable of accommodating both the modeled scissile phosphate and its flanking 5′ nucleoside. The resulting modeled precatalytic conformation incorporates a splayed-apart alignment at the scissile phosphate, thereby providing structure-based insights into the in-line cleavage mechanism. We identify a guanine lining the catalytic pocket positioned to contribute to cleavage chemistry. The functional relevance of structure-based insights into hatchet ribozyme catalysis is strongly supported by cleavage assays monitoring the impact of selected nucleobase and atom-specific mutations on ribozyme activity.
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14
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Mairhofer E, Flemmich L, Kreutz C, Micura R. Access to 3-Deazaguanosine Building Blocks for RNA Solid-Phase Synthesis Involving Hartwig-Buchwald C-N Cross-Coupling. Org Lett 2019; 21:3900-3903. [PMID: 31081638 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.9b00855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
3-Deazaguanosine (c3G) and phosphoramidite derivatives thereof that allow incorporation of this modification into RNA are needed for atomic mutagenesis experiments to explore mechanistic aspects of ribozyme catalysis. Here, we report a practical synthesis for c3G phosphoramidites from inexpensive starting materials. The key reaction sequence is a silyl-Hilbert-Johnson nucleosidation followed by Hartwig-Buchwald cross-coupling to achieve the N2-phenoxyacetyl protected c3G nucleoside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Mairhofer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences , University of Innsbruck , 6020 Innsbruck , Austria
| | - Laurin Flemmich
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences , University of Innsbruck , 6020 Innsbruck , Austria
| | - Christoph Kreutz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences , University of Innsbruck , 6020 Innsbruck , Austria
| | - Ronald Micura
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences , University of Innsbruck , 6020 Innsbruck , Austria
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15
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Huo J, Zou W, Zhang Y, Chen W, Hu X, Deng Q, Chen D. Retracted Article: Facile preparation of bithiazole-based material for inkjet printed light-emitting electrochemical cell. RSC Adv 2019; 9:6163-6168. [PMID: 35517266 PMCID: PMC9060932 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra00093c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Light-emitting electrochemical cell of bithiazole-based material was fabricated by solution processing rendered high external quantum efficiency over 12.8% and luminance of 1.8 104 cd m−2. Light-emitting electrochemical cell of bithiazole-based material was fabricated by solution processing rendered high external quantum efficiency over 12.8% and luminance of 1.8 104 cd m−2.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingpei Huo
- Electrochemical Corrosion Institute
- College of Materials Science and Energy Engineering
- Foshan University
- Foshan
- People’s Republic of China
| | - Wanying Zou
- Electrochemical Corrosion Institute
- College of Materials Science and Energy Engineering
- Foshan University
- Foshan
- People’s Republic of China
| | - Yubang Zhang
- Electrochemical Corrosion Institute
- College of Materials Science and Energy Engineering
- Foshan University
- Foshan
- People’s Republic of China
| | - Weilan Chen
- Electrochemical Corrosion Institute
- College of Materials Science and Energy Engineering
- Foshan University
- Foshan
- People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaohong Hu
- Electrochemical Corrosion Institute
- College of Materials Science and Energy Engineering
- Foshan University
- Foshan
- People’s Republic of China
| | - Qianjun Deng
- Electrochemical Corrosion Institute
- College of Materials Science and Energy Engineering
- Foshan University
- Foshan
- People’s Republic of China
| | - Dongchu Chen
- Electrochemical Corrosion Institute
- College of Materials Science and Energy Engineering
- Foshan University
- Foshan
- People’s Republic of China
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Seith DD, Bingaman JL, Veenis AJ, Button AC, Bevilacqua PC. Elucidation of Catalytic Strategies of Small Nucleolytic Ribozymes From Comparative Analysis of Active Sites. ACS Catal 2018; 8:314-327. [PMID: 32547833 PMCID: PMC7296830 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.7b02976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
A number of small, self-cleaving ribozyme classes have been identified including the hammerhead, hairpin, hepatitis delta virus (HDV), Varkud satellite (VS), glmS, twister, hatchet, pistol, and twister sister ribozymes. Within the active sites of these ribozymes, myriad functional groups contribute to catalysis. There has been extensive structure-function analysis of individual ribozymes, but the extent to which catalytic devices are shared across different ribozyme classes is unclear. As such, emergent catalytic principles for ribozymes may await discovery. Identification of conserved catalytic devices can deepen our understanding of RNA catalysis specifically and of enzymic catalysis generally. To probe similarities and differences amongst ribozyme classes, active sites from more than 80 high-resolution crystal structures of self-cleaving ribozymes were compared computationally. We identify commonalities amongst ribozyme classes pertaining to four classic catalytic devices: deprotonation of the 2'OH nucleophile (γ), neutralization of the non-bridging oxygens of the scissile phosphate (β), neutralization of the O5' leaving group (δ), and in-line nucleophilic attack (α). In addition, we uncover conservation of two catalytic devices, each of which centers on the activation of the 2'OH nucleophile by a guanine: one to acidify the 2'OH by hydrogen bond donation to it (γ') and one to acidify the 2'OH by releasing it from non-productive interactions by competitive hydrogen bonding (γ''). Our findings reveal that the amidine functionalities of G, A, and C are especially important for these strategies, and help explain absence of U at ribozyme active sites. The identified γ' and γ'' catalytic strategies help unify the catalytic strategies shared amongst catalytic RNAs and may be important for large ribozymes, as well as protein enzymes that act on nucleic acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D. Seith
- Department of Chemistry and Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
- These two authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Jamie L. Bingaman
- Department of Chemistry and Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
- These two authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Andrew J. Veenis
- Department of Chemistry and Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
| | - Aileen C. Button
- Department of Chemistry and Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405
| | - Philip C. Bevilacqua
- Department of Chemistry and Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
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Ren A, Micura R, Patel DJ. Structure-based mechanistic insights into catalysis by small self-cleaving ribozymes. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2017; 41:71-83. [PMID: 29107885 PMCID: PMC7955703 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2017.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Revised: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Small self-cleaving ribozymes are widely distributed in nature and are essential for rolling-circle-based replication of satellite and pathogenic RNAs. Earlier structure-function studies on the hammerhead, hairpin, glmS, hepatitis delta virus and Varkud satellite ribozymes have provided insights into their overall architecture, their catalytic active site organization, and the role of nearby nucleobases and hydrated divalent cations in facilitating general acid-base and electrostatic-mediated catalysis. This review focuses on recent structure-function research on active site alignments and catalytic mechanisms of the Rzb hammerhead ribozyme, as well as newly-identified pistol, twister and twister-sister ribozymes. In contrast to an agreed upon mechanistic understanding of self-cleavage by Rzb hammerhead and pistol ribozymes, there exists a divergence of views as to the cleavage site alignments and catalytic mechanisms adopted by twister and twister-sister ribozymes. One approach to resolving this conundrum would be to extend the structural studies from currently available pre-catalytic conformations to their transition state mimic vanadate counterparts for both ribozymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiming Ren
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ronald Micura
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Leopold Franzens University, Innsbruck A6020, Austria
| | - Dinshaw J Patel
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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Neuner S, Falschlunger C, Fuchs E, Himmelstoss M, Ren A, Patel DJ, Micura R. Atom-Specific Mutagenesis Reveals Structural and Catalytic Roles for an Active-Site Adenosine and Hydrated Mg2+
in Pistol Ribozymes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201708679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Neuner
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences (CMBI); Leopold-Franzens University; Innrain 80-82 6020 Innsbruck Austria
| | - Christoph Falschlunger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences (CMBI); Leopold-Franzens University; Innrain 80-82 6020 Innsbruck Austria
| | - Elisabeth Fuchs
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences (CMBI); Leopold-Franzens University; Innrain 80-82 6020 Innsbruck Austria
| | - Maximilian Himmelstoss
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences (CMBI); Leopold-Franzens University; Innrain 80-82 6020 Innsbruck Austria
| | - Aiming Ren
- Life Science Institute; Zhejiang University; Hangzhou 310058 China
| | - Dinshaw J. Patel
- Structural Biology Program; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; New York NY 10065 USA
| | - Ronald Micura
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences (CMBI); Leopold-Franzens University; Innrain 80-82 6020 Innsbruck Austria
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Neuner S, Falschlunger C, Fuchs E, Himmelstoss M, Ren A, Patel DJ, Micura R. Atom-Specific Mutagenesis Reveals Structural and Catalytic Roles for an Active-Site Adenosine and Hydrated Mg 2+ in Pistol Ribozymes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017; 56:15954-15958. [PMID: 29098759 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201708679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 10/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The pistol RNA motif represents a new class of self-cleaving ribozymes of yet unknown biological function. Our recent crystal structure of a pre-catalytic state of this RNA shows guanosine G40 and adenosine A32 close to the G53-U54 cleavage site. While the N1 of G40 is within 3.4 Å of the modeled G53 2'-OH group that attacks the scissile phosphate, thus suggesting a direct role in general acid-base catalysis, the function of A32 is less clear. We present evidence from atom-specific mutagenesis that neither the N1 nor N3 base positions of A32 are involved in catalysis. By contrast, the ribose 2'-OH of A32 seems crucial for the proper positioning of G40 through a H-bond network that involves G42 as a bridging unit between A32 and G40. We also found that disruption of the inner-sphere coordination of the active-site Mg2+ cation to N7 of G33 makes the ribozyme drastically slower. A mechanistic proposal is suggested, with A32 playing a structural role and hydrated Mg2+ playing a catalytic role in cleavage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Neuner
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences (CMBI), Leopold-Franzens University, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christoph Falschlunger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences (CMBI), Leopold-Franzens University, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Fuchs
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences (CMBI), Leopold-Franzens University, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Maximilian Himmelstoss
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences (CMBI), Leopold-Franzens University, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Aiming Ren
- Life Science Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Dinshaw J Patel
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Ronald Micura
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences (CMBI), Leopold-Franzens University, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
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