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Jin K, Liao YC, Cheng TC, Li X, Lee WJ, Pi F, Jasinski D, Chen LC, Phelps MA, Ho YS, Guo P. In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of the Pathology and Safety Aspects of Three- and Four-Way Junction RNA Nanoparticles. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:718-728. [PMID: 38214504 PMCID: PMC10976369 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00845] [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: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
RNA therapeutics has advanced into the third milestone in pharmaceutical drug development, following chemical and protein therapeutics. RNA itself can serve as therapeutics, carriers, regulators, or substrates in drug development. Due to RNA's motile, dynamic, and deformable properties, RNA nanoparticles have demonstrated spontaneous targeting and accumulation in cancer vasculature and fast excretion through the kidney glomerulus to urine to prevent possible interactions with healthy organs. Furthermore, the negatively charged phosphate backbone of RNA results in general repulsion from negatively charged lipid cell membranes for further avoidance of vital organs. Thus, RNA nanoparticles can spontaneously enrich tumor vasculature and efficiently enter tumor cells via specific targeting, while those not entering the tumor tissue will clear from the body quickly. These favorable parameters have led to the expectation that RNA has low or little toxicity. RNA nanoparticles have been well characterized for their anticancer efficacy; however, little detail on RNA nanoparticle pathology and safety is known. Here, we report the in vitro and in vivo assessment of the pathology and safety aspects of different RNA nanoparticles including RNA three-way junction (3WJ) harboring 2'-F modified pyrimidine, folic acid, and Survivin siRNA, as well as the RNA four-way junction (4WJ) harboring 2'-F modified pyrimidine and 24 copies of SN38. Both animal models and patient serum were investigated. In vitro studies include hemolysis, platelet aggregation, complement activation, plasma coagulation, and interferon induction. In vivo studies include hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, hematological and biochemical analysis as the serum profiling, and animal organ weight study. No significant toxicity, side effect, or immune responses were detected during the extensive safety evaluations of RNA nanoparticles. These results further complement previous cancer inhibition studies and demonstrate RNA nanoparticles as an effective and safe drug delivery vehicle for future clinical translations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Jin
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Center for RNA Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - You-Cheng Liao
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110031, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Chun Cheng
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Medical University, Taichung 406040, Taiwan
| | - Xin Li
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Center for RNA Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Wen-Jui Lee
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Center for RNA Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Fengmei Pi
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Center for RNA Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Daniel Jasinski
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Center for RNA Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Li-Ching Chen
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung 406040, Taiwan
| | - Mitch A Phelps
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Yuan-Soon Ho
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Medical University, Taichung 406040, Taiwan
| | - Peixuan Guo
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Center for RNA Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- James Comprehensive Cancer Center, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
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2
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Oxenfarth A, Kümmerer F, Bottaro S, Schnieders R, Pinter G, Jonker HRA, Fürtig B, Richter C, Blackledge M, Lindorff-Larsen K, Schwalbe H. Integrated NMR/Molecular Dynamics Determination of the Ensemble Conformation of a Thermodynamically Stable CUUG RNA Tetraloop. J Am Chem Soc 2023. [PMID: 37479220 PMCID: PMC10401711 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c03578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Both experimental and theoretical structure determinations of RNAs have remained challenging due to the intrinsic dynamics of RNAs. We report here an integrated nuclear magnetic resonance/molecular dynamics (NMR/MD) structure determination approach to describe the dynamic structure of the CUUG tetraloop. We show that the tetraloop undergoes substantial dynamics, leading to averaging of the experimental data. These dynamics are particularly linked to the temperature-dependent presence of a hydrogen bond within the tetraloop. Interpreting the NMR data by a single structure represents the low-temperature structure well but fails to capture all conformational states occurring at a higher temperature. We integrate MD simulations, starting from structures of CUUG tetraloops within the Protein Data Bank, with an extensive set of NMR data, and provide a structural ensemble that describes the dynamic nature of the tetraloop and the experimental NMR data well. We thus show that one of the most stable and frequently found RNA tetraloops displays substantial dynamics, warranting such an integrated structural approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Oxenfarth
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Hessen, Germany
| | - Felix Kümmerer
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Sandro Bottaro
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan 20089, Italy
| | - Robbin Schnieders
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Hessen, Germany
| | - György Pinter
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Hessen, Germany
| | - Hendrik R A Jonker
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Hessen, Germany
| | - Boris Fürtig
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Hessen, Germany
| | - Christian Richter
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Hessen, Germany
| | - Martin Blackledge
- Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), CEA, CNRS, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Kresten Lindorff-Larsen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Harald Schwalbe
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Hessen, Germany
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3
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Biomotors, viral assembly, and RNA nanobiotechnology: Current achievements and future directions. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:6120-6137. [PMID: 36420155 PMCID: PMC9672130 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The International Society of RNA Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine (ISRNN) serves to further the development of a wide variety of functional nucleic acids and other related nanotechnology platforms. To aid in the dissemination of the most recent advancements, a biennial discussion focused on biomotors, viral assembly, and RNA nanobiotechnology has been established where international experts in interdisciplinary fields such as structural biology, biophysical chemistry, nanotechnology, cell and cancer biology, and pharmacology share their latest accomplishments and future perspectives. The results summarized here highlight advancements in our understanding of viral biology and the structure-function relationship of frame-shifting elements in genomic viral RNA, improvements in the predictions of SHAPE analysis of 3D RNA structures, and the understanding of dynamic RNA structures through a variety of experimental and computational means. Additionally, recent advances in the drug delivery, vaccine design, nanopore technologies, biomotor and biomachine development, DNA packaging, RNA nanotechnology, and drug delivery are included in this critical review. We emphasize some of the novel accomplishments, major discussion topics, and present current challenges and perspectives of these emerging fields.
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Zirbel CL, Auffinger P. Lone Pair…π Contacts and Structure Signatures of r(UNCG) Tetraloops, Z-Turns, and Z-Steps: A WebFR3D Survey. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27144365. [PMID: 35889236 PMCID: PMC9323530 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27144365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Z-DNA and Z-RNA have long appeared as oddities to nucleic acid scientists. However, their Z-step constituents are recurrently observed in all types of nucleic acid systems including ribosomes. Z-steps are NpN steps that are isostructural to Z-DNA CpG steps. Among their structural features, Z-steps are characterized by the presence of a lone pair…π contact that involves the stacking of the ribose O4′ atom of the first nucleotide with the 3′-face of the second nucleotide. Recently, it has been documented that the CpG step of the ubiquitous r(UNCG) tetraloops is a Z-step. Accordingly, such r(UNCG) conformations were called Z-turns. It has also been recognized that an r(GAAA) tetraloop in appropriate conditions can shapeshift to an unusual Z-turn conformation embedding an ApA Z-step. In this report, we explore the multiplicity of RNA motifs based on Z-steps by using the WebFR3D tool to which we added functionalities to be able to retrieve motifs containing lone pair…π contacts. Many examples that underscore the diversity and universality of these motifs are provided as well as tutorial guidance on using WebFR3D. In addition, this study provides an extensive survey of crystallographic, cryo-EM, NMR, and molecular dynamics studies on r(UNCG) tetraloops with a critical view on how to conduct database searches and exploit their results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig L. Zirbel
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA;
| | - Pascal Auffinger
- Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, UPR 9002, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-3-8841-7049; Fax: +33-3-8860-2218
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Li X, Bhullar AS, Binzel DW, Guo P. The dynamic, motile and deformative properties of RNA nanoparticles facilitate the third milestone of drug development. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 186:114316. [PMID: 35526663 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Besides mRNA, rRNA, and tRNA, cells contain many other noncoding RNA that display critical roles in the regulation of cellular functions. Human genome sequencing revealed that the majority of non-protein-coding DNA actually codes for non-coding RNAs. The dynamic nature of RNA results in its motile and deformative behavior. These conformational transitions such as the change of base-pairing, breathing within complemented strands, and pseudoknot formation at the 2D level as well as the induced-fit and conformational capture at the 3D level are important for their biological functions including regulation, translation, and catalysis. The dynamic, motile and catalytic activity has led to a belief that RNA is the origin of life. We have recently reported that the deformative property of RNA nanoparticles enhances their penetration through the leaky blood vessel of cancers which leads to highly efficient tumor accumulation. This special deformative property also enables RNA nanoparticles to pass the glomerulus, overcoming the filtration size limit, resulting in fast renal excretion and rapid body clearance, thus low or no toxicity. The biodistribution of RNA nanoparticles can be further improved by the incorporation of ligands for cancer targeting. In addition to the favorable biodistribution profiles, RNA nanoparticles possess other properties including self-assembly, negative charge, programmability, and multivalency; making it a great material for pharmaceutical applications. The intrinsic negative charge of RNA nanoparticles decreases the toxicity of drugs by preventing nonspecific binding to the negative charged cell membrane and enhancing the solubility of hydrophobic drugs. The polyvalent property of RNA nanoparticles allows the multi-functionalization which can apply to overcome drug resistance. This review focuses on the summary of these unique properties of RNA nanoparticles, which describes the mechanism of RNA dynamic, motile and deformative properties, and elucidates and prepares to welcome the RNA therapeutics as the third milestone in pharmaceutical drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - Abhjeet S Bhullar
- Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, College of Art and Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - Daniel W Binzel
- College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States.
| | - Peixuan Guo
- College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States; Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States; James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States; College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States.
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6
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Biedenbänder T, de Jesus V, Schmidt-Dengler M, Helm M, Corzilius B, Fürtig B. RNA modifications stabilize the tertiary structure of tRNAfMet by locally increasing conformational dynamics. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:2334-2349. [PMID: 35137185 PMCID: PMC8887418 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A plethora of modified nucleotides extends the chemical and conformational space for natural occurring RNAs. tRNAs constitute the class of RNAs with the highest modification rate. The extensive modification modulates their overall stability, the fidelity and efficiency of translation. However, the impact of nucleotide modifications on the local structural dynamics is not well characterized. Here we show that the incorporation of the modified nucleotides in tRNAfMet from Escherichia coli leads to an increase in the local conformational dynamics, ultimately resulting in the stabilization of the overall tertiary structure. Through analysis of the local dynamics by NMR spectroscopic methods we find that, although the overall thermal stability of the tRNA is higher for the modified molecule, the conformational fluctuations on the local level are increased in comparison to an unmodified tRNA. In consequence, the melting of individual base pairs in the unmodified tRNA is determined by high entropic penalties compared to the modified. Further, we find that the modifications lead to a stabilization of long-range interactions harmonizing the stability of the tRNA's secondary and tertiary structure. Our results demonstrate that the increase in chemical space through introduction of modifications enables the population of otherwise inaccessible conformational substates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Biedenbänder
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany.,Institute of Chemistry and Department Life, Light & Matter, University of Rostock, Rostock 18059, Germany
| | - Vanessa de Jesus
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany
| | - Martina Schmidt-Dengler
- Institut für pharmazeutische und biomedizinische Wissenschaften (IPBW), Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Mark Helm
- Institut für pharmazeutische und biomedizinische Wissenschaften (IPBW), Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Björn Corzilius
- Institute of Chemistry and Department Life, Light & Matter, University of Rostock, Rostock 18059, Germany
| | - Boris Fürtig
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany
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Grotz KK, Cruz-León S, Schwierz N. Optimized Magnesium Force Field Parameters for Biomolecular Simulations with Accurate Solvation, Ion-Binding, and Water-Exchange Properties. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:2530-2540. [PMID: 33720710 PMCID: PMC8047801 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.0c01281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Magnesium ions play an essential role in many vital processes. To correctly describe their interactions in molecular dynamics simulations, an accurate parametrization is crucial. Despite the importance and considerable scientific effort, current force fields based on the commonly used 12-6 Lennard-Jones interaction potential fail to reproduce a variety of experimental solution properties. In particular, no parametrization exists so far that simultaneously reproduces the solvation free energy and the distance to the water oxygens in the first hydration shell. Moreover, current Mg2+ force fields significantly underestimate the rate of water exchange leading to unrealistically slow exchange kinetics. In order to make progress in the development of improved models, we systematically optimize the Mg2+ parameters in combination with the TIP3P water model in a much larger parameter space than previously done. The results show that a long-ranged interaction potential and modified Lorentz-Berthelot combination rules allow us to accurately reproduce multiple experimental properties including the solvation free energy, the distances to the oxygens of the first hydration shell, the hydration number, the activity coefficient derivative in MgCl2 solutions, the self-diffusion coefficient, and the binding affinity to the phosphate oxygen of RNA. Matching this broad range of thermodynamic properties, we present two sets of optimal parameters: MicroMg yields water exchange on the microsecond timescale in agreement with experiments. NanoMg yields water exchange on the nanosecond timescale facilitating the direct observation of ion-binding events. As shown for the example of the add A-riboswitch, the optimized parameters correctly reproduce the structure of specifically bound ions and permit the de novo prediction of Mg2+-binding sites in biomolecular simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara K. Grotz
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany
| | - Sergio Cruz-León
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany
| | - Nadine Schwierz
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany
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8
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Bottaro S, Nichols PJ, Vögeli B, Parrinello M, Lindorff-Larsen K. Integrating NMR and simulations reveals motions in the UUCG tetraloop. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:5839-5848. [PMID: 32427326 PMCID: PMC7293013 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We provide an atomic-level description of the structure and dynamics of the UUCG RNA stem-loop by combining molecular dynamics simulations with experimental data. The integration of simulations with exact nuclear Overhauser enhancements data allowed us to characterize two distinct states of this molecule. The most stable conformation corresponds to the consensus three-dimensional structure. The second state is characterized by the absence of the peculiar non-Watson-Crick interactions in the loop region. By using machine learning techniques we identify a set of experimental measurements that are most sensitive to the presence of non-native states. We find that although our MD ensemble, as well as the consensus UUCG tetraloop structures, are in good agreement with experiments, there are remaining discrepancies. Together, our results show that (i) the MD simulation overstabilize a non-native loop conformation, (ii) eNOE data support its presence with a population of ≈10% and (iii) the structural interpretation of experimental data for dynamic RNAs is highly complex, even for a simple model system such as the UUCG tetraloop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Bottaro
- Atomistic Simulations Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Parker J Nichols
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Beat Vögeli
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Michele Parrinello
- Atomistic Simulations Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Kresten Lindorff-Larsen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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9
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Nichols PJ, Born A, Henen MA, Strotz D, Celestine CN, Güntert P, Vögeli B. Extending the Applicability of Exact Nuclear Overhauser Enhancements to Large Proteins and RNA. Chembiochem 2018; 19:1695-1701. [PMID: 29883016 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201800237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Distance-dependent nuclear Overhauser enhancements (NOEs) are one of the most popular and important experimental restraints for calculating NMR structures. Despite this, they are mostly employed as semiquantitative upper distance bounds, and this discards the wealth of information that is encoded in the cross-relaxation rate constant. Information that is lost includes exact distances between protons and dynamics that occur on the sub-millisecond timescale. Our recently introduced exact measurement of the NOE (eNOE) requires little additional experimental effort relative to other NMR observables. So far, we have used eNOEs to calculate multistate ensembles of proteins up to approximately 150 residues. Here, we briefly revisit eNOE methodology and present two new directions for the use of eNOEs: applications to large proteins and RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parker J Nichols
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Alexandra Born
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Morkos A Henen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Dean Strotz
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Chi N Celestine
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, BMC Box 582, 75123, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter Güntert
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-ohsawa, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan
| | - Beat Vögeli
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
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Nichols PJ, Henen MA, Born A, Strotz D, Güntert P, Vögeli B. High-resolution small RNA structures from exact nuclear Overhauser enhancement measurements without additional restraints. Commun Biol 2018; 1:61. [PMID: 30271943 PMCID: PMC6123705 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0067-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA not only translates the genetic code into proteins, but also carries out important cellular functions. Understanding such functions requires knowledge of the structure and dynamics at atomic resolution. Almost half of the published RNA structures have been solved by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). However, as a result of severe resonance overlap and low proton density, high-resolution RNA structures are rarely obtained from nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE) data alone. Instead, additional semi-empirical restraints and labor-intensive techniques are required for structural averages, while there are only a few experimentally derived ensembles representing dynamics. Here we show that our exact NOE (eNOE) based structure determination protocol is able to define a 14-mer UUCG tetraloop structure at high resolution without other restraints. Additionally, we use eNOEs to calculate a two-state structure, which samples its conformational space. The protocol may open an avenue to obtain high-resolution structures of small RNA of unprecedented accuracy with moderate experimental efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parker J Nichols
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue, Aurora,, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Morkos A Henen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue, Aurora,, CO, 80045, USA
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Alexandra Born
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue, Aurora,, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Dean Strotz
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, ETH Zürich, ETH-Hönggerberg, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Peter Güntert
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, ETH Zürich, ETH-Hönggerberg, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, 60438, Germany
- Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan
| | - Beat Vögeli
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12801 East 17th Avenue, Aurora,, CO, 80045, USA.
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Šponer J, Bussi G, Krepl M, Banáš P, Bottaro S, Cunha RA, Gil-Ley A, Pinamonti G, Poblete S, Jurečka P, Walter NG, Otyepka M. RNA Structural Dynamics As Captured by Molecular Simulations: A Comprehensive Overview. Chem Rev 2018; 118:4177-4338. [PMID: 29297679 PMCID: PMC5920944 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 327] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
With both catalytic and genetic functions, ribonucleic acid (RNA) is perhaps the most pluripotent chemical species in molecular biology, and its functions are intimately linked to its structure and dynamics. Computer simulations, and in particular atomistic molecular dynamics (MD), allow structural dynamics of biomolecular systems to be investigated with unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution. We here provide a comprehensive overview of the fast-developing field of MD simulations of RNA molecules. We begin with an in-depth, evaluatory coverage of the most fundamental methodological challenges that set the basis for the future development of the field, in particular, the current developments and inherent physical limitations of the atomistic force fields and the recent advances in a broad spectrum of enhanced sampling methods. We also survey the closely related field of coarse-grained modeling of RNA systems. After dealing with the methodological aspects, we provide an exhaustive overview of the available RNA simulation literature, ranging from studies of the smallest RNA oligonucleotides to investigations of the entire ribosome. Our review encompasses tetranucleotides, tetraloops, a number of small RNA motifs, A-helix RNA, kissing-loop complexes, the TAR RNA element, the decoding center and other important regions of the ribosome, as well as assorted others systems. Extended sections are devoted to RNA-ion interactions, ribozymes, riboswitches, and protein/RNA complexes. Our overview is written for as broad of an audience as possible, aiming to provide a much-needed interdisciplinary bridge between computation and experiment, together with a perspective on the future of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences , Kralovopolska 135 , Brno 612 65 , Czech Republic
| | - Giovanni Bussi
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati , Via Bonomea 265 , Trieste 34136 , Italy
| | - Miroslav Krepl
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences , Kralovopolska 135 , Brno 612 65 , Czech Republic
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science , Palacky University Olomouc , 17. listopadu 12 , Olomouc 771 46 , Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Banáš
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science , Palacky University Olomouc , 17. listopadu 12 , Olomouc 771 46 , Czech Republic
| | - Sandro Bottaro
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Department of Biology , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen 2200 , Denmark
| | - Richard A Cunha
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati , Via Bonomea 265 , Trieste 34136 , Italy
| | - Alejandro Gil-Ley
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati , Via Bonomea 265 , Trieste 34136 , Italy
| | - Giovanni Pinamonti
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati , Via Bonomea 265 , Trieste 34136 , Italy
| | - Simón Poblete
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati , Via Bonomea 265 , Trieste 34136 , Italy
| | - Petr Jurečka
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science , Palacky University Olomouc , 17. listopadu 12 , Olomouc 771 46 , Czech Republic
| | - Nils G Walter
- Single Molecule Analysis Group and Center for RNA Biomedicine, Department of Chemistry , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States
| | - Michal Otyepka
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science , Palacky University Olomouc , 17. listopadu 12 , Olomouc 771 46 , Czech Republic
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12
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Borkar AN, Vallurupalli P, Camilloni C, Kay LE, Vendruscolo M. Simultaneous NMR characterisation of multiple minima in the free energy landscape of an RNA UUCG tetraloop. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:2797-2804. [PMID: 28067358 PMCID: PMC6529357 DOI: 10.1039/c6cp08313g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
RNA molecules in solution tend to undergo structural fluctuations of relatively large amplitude and to populate a range of different conformations some of which with low populations. It is still very challenging, however, to characterise the structures of these low populated states and to understand their functional roles. In the present study, we address this problem by using NMR residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) as structural restraints in replica-averaged metadynamics (RAM) simulations. By applying this approach to a 14-mer RNA hairpin containing the prototypical UUCG tetraloop motif, we show that it is possible to construct the free energy landscape of this RNA molecule. This free energy landscapes reveals the surprisingly rich dynamics of the UUCG tetraloop and identifies the multiple substates that exist in equilibrium owing to thermal fluctuations. The approach that we present is general and can be applied to the study of the free energy landscapes of other RNA or RNA-protein systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi N Borkar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Pramodh Vallurupalli
- Departments of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada M5S 1A8
| | - Carlo Camilloni
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Lewis E Kay
- Departments of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada M5S 1A8
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13
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Bottaro S, Banáš P, Šponer J, Bussi G. Free Energy Landscape of GAGA and UUCG RNA Tetraloops. J Phys Chem Lett 2016; 7:4032-4038. [PMID: 27661094 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.6b01905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
We report the folding thermodynamics of ccUUCGgg and ccGAGAgg RNA tetraloops using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. We obtain a previously unreported estimation of the folding free energy using parallel tempering in combination with well-tempered metadynamics. A key ingredient is the use of a recently developed metric distance, eRMSD, as a biased collective variable. We find that the native fold of both tetraloops is not the global free energy minimum using the AmberχOL3 force field. The estimated folding free energies are 30.2 ± 0.5 kJ/mol for UUCG and 7.5 ± 0.6 kJ/mol for GAGA, in striking disagreement with experimental data. We evaluate the viability of all possible one-dimensional backbone force field corrections. We find that disfavoring the gauche+ region of α and ζ angles consistently improves the existing force field. The level of accuracy achieved with these corrections, however, cannot be considered sufficient by judging on the basis of available thermodynamic data and solution experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Bottaro
- SISSA, International School for Advanced Studies 265 , Via Bonomea, I-34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Pavel Banáš
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc , 17. Listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Kralovopolska 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Šponer
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc , 17. Listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Kralovopolska 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Giovanni Bussi
- SISSA, International School for Advanced Studies 265 , Via Bonomea, I-34136 Trieste, Italy
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14
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Prostova MA, Gmyl AP, Bakhmutov DV, Shishova AA, Khitrina EV, Kolesnikova MS, Serebryakova MV, Isaeva OV, Agol VI. Mutational robustness and resilience of a replicative cis-element of RNA virus: Promiscuity, limitations, relevance. RNA Biol 2016; 12:1338-54. [PMID: 26488412 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2015.1100794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Since replication of RNA-viruses is generally a low-fidelity process, it would be advantageous, if specific interactions of their genomic cis-elements with dedicated ligands are relatively tolerant to mutations. The specificity/promiscuity trade-off of such interactions was addressed here by investigating structural requirements of the oriL (also known as the clover leaf-like element), of poliovirus RNA, a replicative cis-element containing a conserved essential tetraloop functionally interacting with the viral protein 3CD. The sequence of this tetraloop and 2 adjacent base-pairs was randomized in the viral genome, and viable viruses were selected in susceptible cells. Strikingly, each position of this octanucleotide in 62 investigated viable viruses could be occupied by any nucleotide (with the exception of one position, which lacked U), though with certain sequence preferences, confirmed by engineering mutant viral genomes whose phenotypic properties were found to correlate with the strength of the cis-element/ligand interaction. The results were compatible with a hypothesis that functional recognition by 3CD requires that this tetraloop should stably or temporarily adopt a YNMG-like (Y=U/C, N=any nucleotide, M=A/C) fold. The fitness of "weak" viruses could be increased by compensatory mutations "improving" the tetraloops. Otherwise, the recognition of "bad" tetraloops might be facilitated by alterations in the 3CD protein. The virus appeared to tolerate mutations in its cis-element relaying on either robustness (spatial structure degeneracy) or resilience (a combination of dynamic RNA folding, low-fidelity replication modifying the cis-element or its ligand, and negative selection). These mechanisms (especially resilience involving metastable low-fit intermediates) can also contribute to the viral evolvability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Prostova
- a M P Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides ; Moscow Russia
| | - Anatoly P Gmyl
- a M P Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides ; Moscow Russia.,b M V Lomonosov Moscow State University ; Moscow Russia
| | - Denis V Bakhmutov
- a M P Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides ; Moscow Russia.,c Deceased
| | - Anna A Shishova
- a M P Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides ; Moscow Russia
| | - Elena V Khitrina
- a M P Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides ; Moscow Russia
| | - Marina S Kolesnikova
- a M P Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides ; Moscow Russia
| | | | - Olga V Isaeva
- a M P Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides ; Moscow Russia
| | - Vadim I Agol
- a M P Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides ; Moscow Russia.,b M V Lomonosov Moscow State University ; Moscow Russia
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15
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Jin X, Zhu T, Zhang JZH, He X. A systematic study on RNA NMR chemical shift calculation based on the automated fragmentation QM/MM approach. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra22518g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
1H, 13C and 15N NMR chemical shift calculations on RNAs were performed using the automated fragmentation quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (AF-QM/MM) approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinsheng Jin
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering
- East China Normal University
- Shanghai
- China
| | - Tong Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering
- East China Normal University
- Shanghai
- China
- NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry
| | - John Z. H. Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering
- East China Normal University
- Shanghai
- China
- NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry
| | - Xiao He
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering
- East China Normal University
- Shanghai
- China
- NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry
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16
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Juneja A, Villa A, Nilsson L. Elucidating the Relation between Internal Motions and Dihedral Angles in an RNA Hairpin Using Molecular Dynamics. J Chem Theory Comput 2015; 10:3532-40. [PMID: 26588317 DOI: 10.1021/ct500203m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to characterize the internal motions of the ribonucleic acid apical stem loop of human hepatitis B virus. The NMR relaxation rates calculated directly from the trajectory are in good agreement with the experiment. Calculated order parameters follow the experimental pattern. Order parameters lower than 0.8 are observed for nucleotides that are weakly hydrogen bonded to their base pair partner, unpaired, or part of the loop. These residues show slow decay of the internal correlation functions of their base and sugar C-H vectors. Concerted motions around backbone dihedral angles influence the amplitude of motion of the sugar and base C-H vectors. The order parameters for base C-H vectors are also affected by the fluctuation of the glycosidic dihedral angle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alok Juneja
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Center of Biosciences, Karolinska Institutet , SE-141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Alessandra Villa
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Center of Biosciences, Karolinska Institutet , SE-141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Lennart Nilsson
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Center of Biosciences, Karolinska Institutet , SE-141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
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17
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Simon B, Masiewicz P, Ephrussi A, Carlomagno T. The structure of the SOLE element of oskar mRNA. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2015; 21:1444-53. [PMID: 26089324 PMCID: PMC4509934 DOI: 10.1261/rna.049601.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
mRNA localization by active transport is a regulated process that requires association of mRNPs with protein motors for transport along either the microtubule or the actin cytoskeleton. oskar mRNA localization at the posterior pole of the Drosophila oocyte requires a specific mRNA sequence, termed the SOLE, which comprises nucleotides of both exon 1 and exon 2 and is assembled upon splicing. The SOLE folds into a stem-loop structure. Both SOLE RNA and the exon junction complex (EJC) are required for oskar mRNA transport along the microtubules by kinesin. The SOLE RNA likely constitutes a recognition element for a yet unknown protein, which either belongs to the EJC or functions as a bridge between the EJC and the mRNA. Here, we determine the solution structure of the SOLE RNA by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. We show that the SOLE forms a continuous helical structure, including a few noncanonical base pairs, capped by a pentanucleotide loop. The helix displays a widened major groove, which could accommodate a protein partner. In addition, the apical helical segment undergoes complex dynamics, with potential functional significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Simon
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, D-69117, Germany
| | - Pawel Masiewicz
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, D-69117, Germany
| | - Anne Ephrussi
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, D-69117, Germany
| | - Teresa Carlomagno
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, D-69117, Germany Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung, Braunschweig, D-38124, Germany
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18
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Simon B, Masiewicz P, Ephrussi A, Carlomagno T. The structure of the SOLE element of oskar mRNA. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2015; 21:1444-1453. [PMID: 26089324 DOI: 10.1261/rna.049601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
mRNA localization by active transport is a regulated process that requires association of mRNPs with protein motors for transport along either the microtubule or the actin cytoskeleton. oskar mRNA localization at the posterior pole of the Drosophila oocyte requires a specific mRNA sequence, termed the SOLE, which comprises nucleotides of both exon 1 and exon 2 and is assembled upon splicing. The SOLE folds into a stem-loop structure. Both SOLE RNA and the exon junction complex (EJC) are required for oskar mRNA transport along the microtubules by kinesin. The SOLE RNA likely constitutes a recognition element for a yet unknown protein, which either belongs to the EJC or functions as a bridge between the EJC and the mRNA. Here, we determine the solution structure of the SOLE RNA by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. We show that the SOLE forms a continuous helical structure, including a few noncanonical base pairs, capped by a pentanucleotide loop. The helix displays a widened major groove, which could accommodate a protein partner. In addition, the apical helical segment undergoes complex dynamics, with potential functional significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Simon
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, D-69117, Germany
| | - Pawel Masiewicz
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, D-69117, Germany
| | - Anne Ephrussi
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, D-69117, Germany
| | - Teresa Carlomagno
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, D-69117, Germany Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung, Braunschweig, D-38124, Germany
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19
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Giambaşu GM, York DM, Case DA. Structural fidelity and NMR relaxation analysis in a prototype RNA hairpin. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2015; 21:963-74. [PMID: 25805858 PMCID: PMC4408802 DOI: 10.1261/rna.047357.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 01/17/2015] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
RNA hairpins are widespread and very stable motifs that contribute decisively to RNA folding and biological function. The GTP1G2C3A4C5U6U7C8G9G10U11G12C13C14 construct (with a central UUCG tetraloop) has been extensively studied by solution NMR, and offers and excellent opportunity to evaluate the structure and dynamical description afforded by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Here, we compare average structural parameters and NMR relaxation rates estimated from a series of multiple independent explicit solvent MD simulations using the two most recent RNA AMBER force fields (ff99 and ff10). Predicted overall tumbling times are ∼20% faster than those inferred from analysis of NMR data and follow the same trend when temperature and ionic strength is varied. The Watson-Crick stem and the "canonical" UUCG loop structure are maintained in most simulations including the characteristic syn conformation along the glycosidic bond of G9, although some key hydrogen bonds in the loop are partially disrupted. Our analysis pinpoints G9-G10 backbone conformations as a locus of discrepancies between experiment and simulation. In general the results for the more recent force-field parameters (ff10) are closer to experiment than those for the older ones (ff99). This work provides a comprehensive and detailed comparison of state of the art MD simulations against a wide variety of solution NMR measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- George M Giambaşu
- BioMaPS Institute for Quantitative Biology and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Darrin M York
- BioMaPS Institute for Quantitative Biology and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - David A Case
- BioMaPS Institute for Quantitative Biology and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
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20
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Berlin K, Longhini A, Dayie TK, Fushman D. Deriving quantitative dynamics information for proteins and RNAs using ROTDIF with a graphical user interface. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2013; 57:333-352. [PMID: 24170368 PMCID: PMC3939081 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-013-9791-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2013] [Accepted: 10/11/2013] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
To facilitate rigorous analysis of molecular motions in proteins, DNA, and RNA, we present a new version of ROTDIF, a program for determining the overall rotational diffusion tensor from single- or multiple-field nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation data. We introduce four major features that expand the program's versatility and usability. The first feature is the ability to analyze, separately or together, (13)C and/or (15)N relaxation data collected at a single or multiple fields. A significant improvement in the accuracy compared to direct analysis of R2/R1 ratios, especially critical for analysis of (13)C relaxation data, is achieved by subtracting high-frequency contributions to relaxation rates. The second new feature is an improved method for computing the rotational diffusion tensor in the presence of biased errors, such as large conformational exchange contributions, that significantly enhances the accuracy of the computation. The third new feature is the integration of the domain alignment and docking module for relaxation-based structure determination of multi-domain systems. Finally, to improve accessibility to all the program features, we introduced a graphical user interface that simplifies and speeds up the analysis of the data. Written in Java, the new ROTDIF can run on virtually any computer platform. In addition, the new ROTDIF achieves an order of magnitude speedup over the previous version by implementing a more efficient deterministic minimization algorithm. We not only demonstrate the improvement in accuracy and speed of the new algorithm for synthetic and experimental (13)C and (15)N relaxation data for several proteins and nucleic acids, but also show that careful analysis required especially for characterizing RNA dynamics allowed us to uncover subtle conformational changes in RNA as a function of temperature that were opaque to previous analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin Berlin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Center for Biomolecular Structure and Organization, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
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21
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Nayak RK, Van Orden A. Counterion and polythymidine loop-length-dependent folding and thermodynamic stability of DNA hairpins reveal the unusual counterion-dependent stability of tetraloop hairpins. J Phys Chem B 2013; 117:13956-66. [PMID: 24144397 DOI: 10.1021/jp404832d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Stem-loop DNA hairpins containing a 5-base-pair (bp) stem and single-stranded polythymidine loop were investigated using thermodynamic melting analysis and stopped-flow kinetics. These studies revealed the thermodynamic stability and folding kinetics as a function of loop length and counterion concentration. Our results show the unusually high thermodynamic stability for tetraloop or 4 poly(dT) loop hairpin as compared with longer loop length hairpins. Furthermore, this exceptional stability is highly counterion-dependent. For example, in the higher counterion concentration regime of 50 mM NaCl and above, the tetraloop hairpin displays enhanced stability as compared with longer loop length hairpins. However, at lower counterion concentration of 25 mM NaCl and below, the thermal stability of tetraloop hairpin is consistent with the longer loop hairpins. The enhanced stability of tetraloop hairpins at higher counterion concentration can be explained on the basis of the combined entropic effect of loop closure as well as base stacking in the loop regions. The stability of longer loop length hairpins at all counterion concentrations as well as tetraloop hairpin at lower counterion concentration can be explained on the basis of entropic effect of loop closure alone. The thermodynamic parameters at lower and higher counterion concentrations were determined to quantify the enhanced stability of base-stacking effects occurring at higher counterion concentrations. For example, for 100 mM NaCl, excess Gibbs energy and enthalpy due to base stacking within the tetraloops were measured to be -1.2 ± 0.14 and -3.28 ± 0.32 kcal/mol, respectively, whereas, no excess of Gibbs energy and enthalpy was observed for 0, 5, 10, and 25 mM NaCl. These findings suggest significant base-stacking interactions occurring in the loop region of the tetraloop hairpins at higher counterion concentration and less significant base-stacking interactions in the lower counterion concentration regime. We suggest that at higher counterion concentrations, hydrophobic collapse of the nucleotides in the loop may be enhanced due to the increased polarity of the solvent, thereby enhancing base-stacking interactions that contribute to unusually high stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh K Nayak
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University , Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
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22
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Aliev AE, Kulke M, Khaneja HS, Chudasama V, Sheppard TD, Lanigan RM. Motional timescale predictions by molecular dynamics simulations: case study using proline and hydroxyproline sidechain dynamics. Proteins 2013; 82:195-215. [PMID: 23818175 PMCID: PMC4282583 DOI: 10.1002/prot.24350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2013] [Revised: 06/01/2013] [Accepted: 06/06/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
We propose a new approach for force field optimizations which aims at reproducing dynamics characteristics using biomolecular MD simulations, in addition to improved prediction of motionally averaged structural properties available from experiment. As the source of experimental data for dynamics fittings, we use 13C NMR spin-lattice relaxation times T1 of backbone and sidechain carbons, which allow to determine correlation times of both overall molecular and intramolecular motions. For structural fittings, we use motionally averaged experimental values of NMR J couplings. The proline residue and its derivative 4-hydroxyproline with relatively simple cyclic structure and sidechain dynamics were chosen for the assessment of the new approach in this work. Initially, grid search and simplexed MD simulations identified large number of parameter sets which fit equally well experimental J couplings. Using the Arrhenius-type relationship between the force constant and the correlation time, the available MD data for a series of parameter sets were analyzed to predict the value of the force constant that best reproduces experimental timescale of the sidechain dynamics. Verification of the new force-field (termed as AMBER99SB-ILDNP) against NMR J couplings and correlation times showed consistent and significant improvements compared to the original force field in reproducing both structural and dynamics properties. The results suggest that matching experimental timescales of motions together with motionally averaged characteristics is the valid approach for force field parameter optimization. Such a comprehensive approach is not restricted to cyclic residues and can be extended to other amino acid residues, as well as to the backbone. Proteins 2014; 82:195–215. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abil E Aliev
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom
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23
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NMR spectroscopy on domain dynamics in biomacromolecules. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2013; 112:58-117. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2013.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2013] [Revised: 05/06/2013] [Accepted: 05/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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24
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Kührová P, Banáš P, Best RB, Šponer J, Otyepka M. Computer Folding of RNA Tetraloops? Are We There Yet? J Chem Theory Comput 2013; 9:2115-25. [DOI: 10.1021/ct301086z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Petra Kührová
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies
and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Banáš
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies
and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Institute
of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kralovopolska
135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Robert B. Best
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics,
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0520,
United States
| | - Jiří Šponer
- Institute
of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kralovopolska
135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
- CEITEC − Central European
Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Campus Bohunice, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Otyepka
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies
and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Institute
of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kralovopolska
135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
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25
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Johnson E. Separability between overall and internal motion: a protein folding problem. Proteins 2012; 80:2645-51. [PMID: 22945391 DOI: 10.1002/prot.24175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2012] [Revised: 07/23/2012] [Accepted: 08/26/2012] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The separability between overall and internal motions is evaluated over multiple folding trajectories of the villin headpiece subdomain. The analysis, which relies on the Prompers-Brüschweiler separability index, offers a potentially useful perspective on protein folding. The protein is considered folded in this study, not when it reaches some static target, but rather when it tumbles as a dynamically constrained object. The analysis also demonstrates how the separability index, when applied to protein folding simulations, can facilitate the analysis of NMR relaxation data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Johnson
- Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences, College of Mount St. Joseph, Cincinnati, OH 45233, USA.
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26
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Synergistic applications of MD and NMR for the study of biological systems. J Biomed Biotechnol 2012; 2012:254208. [PMID: 22319241 PMCID: PMC3272818 DOI: 10.1155/2012/254208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2011] [Accepted: 10/19/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Modern biological sciences are becoming more and more multidisciplinary. At the same time, theoretical and computational approaches gain in reliability and their field of application widens. In this short paper, we discuss recent advances in the areas of solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations that were made possible by the combination of both methods, that is, through their synergistic use. We present the main NMR observables and parameters that can be computed from simulations, and how they are used in a variety of complementary applications, including dynamics studies, model-free analysis, force field validation, and structural studies.
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27
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Pistolesi S, Tjandra N. Temperature dependence of molecular interactions involved in defining stability of glutamine binding protein and its complex with L-glutamine. Biochemistry 2012; 51:643-52. [PMID: 22206385 PMCID: PMC3513781 DOI: 10.1021/bi201494h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The temperature dependence of dynamic parameters derived from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation data is related to conformational entropy of the system under study. This provides information such as macromolecules stability and thermodynamics of ligand binding. We studied the temperature dependence of NMR order parameter of glutamine binding protein (GlnBP), a periplasmic binding protein (PBP) highly specific to L-glutamine associated with its ABC transporter, with the goal of elucidating the dynamical differences between the respective ligand bound and free forms. We found that the protein-ligand interaction, which is stabilized at higher temperature, has a striking effect on the stability of the hydrophobic core of the large domain of GlnBP. Moreover, in contrast to what was found for less specific PBPs, the decreasing backbone motion of the hinge region at increasing temperature supports the idea that the likelihood that GlnBP can adopt a ligand free closed conformation in solution diminishes at higher temperatures. Our results support the induced-fit model as mode of action for GlnBP. In addition, we found that the backbones of residues involved in a salt bridge do not necessarily become more rigid as the temperature rises as it was previously suggested [Vinther, J. M., et al. (2011) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 133, 271-278]. Our results show that for this to happen these residues have to also directly interact with a region of the protein that is becoming more rigid as the temperature increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Pistolesi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Nico Tjandra
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892
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28
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Rinnenthal J, Buck J, Ferner J, Wacker A, FÜrtig B, Schwalbe H. Mapping the landscape of RNA dynamics with NMR spectroscopy. Acc Chem Res 2011; 44:1292-301. [PMID: 21894962 DOI: 10.1021/ar200137d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Among the three major classes of biomacromolecules (DNA, RNA, and proteins) RNA's pronounced dynamics are the most explicitly linked to its wide variety of functions, which include catalysis and the regulation of transcription, translation, and splicing. These functions are mediated by a range of RNA biomachinery, including such varied examples as macromolecular noncoding RNAs, microRNAs, small interfering RNAs, riboswitch RNAs, and RNA thermometers. In each case, the functional dynamics of an interconversion is characterized by an associated rate constant. In this Account, we provide an introduction to NMR spectroscopic characterization of the landscape of RNA dynamics. We introduce strategies for measuring NMR parameters at various time scales as well as the underlying models for describing the corresponding rate constants. RNA exhibits significant dynamic motion, which can be modulated by (i) intermolecular interactions, including specific and nonspecific binding of ions (such as Mg(2+) and tertiary amines), (ii) metabolites in riboswitches or RNA aptamers, and (iii) macromolecular interactions within ribonucleic protein particles, including the ribosome and the spliceosome. Our understanding of the nature of these dynamic changes in RNA targets is now being incorporated into RNA-specific approaches in the design of RNA inhibitors. Interactions of RNA with proteins, other RNAs, or small molecules often occur through binding mechanisms that follow an induced fit mechanism or a conformational selection mechanism, in which one of several populated RNA conformations is selected through ligand binding. The extent of functional dynamics, including the kinetic formation of a specific RNA tertiary fold, is dependent on the messenger RNA (mRNA) chain length. Thus, during de novo synthesis of mRNA, both in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, nascent mRNA of various lengths will adopt different secondary and tertiary structures. The speed of transcription has a critical influence on the functional dynamics of the RNA being synthesized. In addition to modulating the local dynamics of a conformational RNA ensemble, a given RNA sequence may adopt more than one global, three-dimensional structure. RNA modification is one way to select among these alternative structures, which are often characterized by nearly equal stability, but with high energy barriers for conformational interconversion. The refolding of different secondary and tertiary structures has been found to be a major regulatory mechanism for transcription and translation. These conformational transitions can be characterized with NMR spectroscopy, for any given RNA sequence, in response to external stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Rinnenthal
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, D-60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Janina Buck
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, D-60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Jan Ferner
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, D-60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Anna Wacker
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, D-60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Boris FÜrtig
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, D-60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Harald Schwalbe
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, D-60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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29
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Bothe JR, Nikolova EN, Eichhorn CD, Chugh J, Hansen AL, Al-Hashimi HM. Characterizing RNA dynamics at atomic resolution using solution-state NMR spectroscopy. Nat Methods 2011; 8:919-31. [PMID: 22036746 PMCID: PMC3320163 DOI: 10.1038/nmeth.1735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Many recently discovered noncoding RNAs do not fold into a single native conformation but sample many different conformations along their free-energy landscape to carry out their biological function. Here we review solution-state NMR techniques that measure the structural, kinetic and thermodynamic characteristics of RNA motions spanning picosecond to second timescales at atomic resolution, allowing unprecedented insights into the RNA dynamic structure landscape. From these studies a basic description of the RNA dynamic structure landscape is emerging, bringing new insights into how RNA structures change to carry out their function as well as applications in RNA-targeted drug discovery and RNA bioengineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jameson R. Bothe
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Evgenia N. Nikolova
- Chemical Biology Doctoral Program, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Catherine D. Eichhorn
- Chemical Biology Doctoral Program, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jeetender Chugh
- Department of Biophysics, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Alexandar L. Hansen
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hashim M. Al-Hashimi
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Biophysics, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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30
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Maldonado AY, Burz DS, Shekhtman A. In-cell NMR spectroscopy. PROGRESS IN NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY 2011; 59:197-212. [PMID: 21920217 PMCID: PMC3175053 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnmrs.2010.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2010] [Accepted: 11/08/2010] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andres Y Maldonado
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY 12222, USA
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31
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Wacker A, Buck J, Mathieu D, Richter C, Wöhnert J, Schwalbe H. Structure and dynamics of the deoxyguanosine-sensing riboswitch studied by NMR-spectroscopy. Nucleic Acids Res 2011; 39:6802-12. [PMID: 21576236 PMCID: PMC3159443 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkr238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The mfl-riboswitch regulates expression of ribonucleotide reductase subunit in Mesoplasma florum by binding to 2′-deoxyguanosine and thereby promoting transcription termination. We characterized the structure of the ligand-bound aptamer domain by NMR spectroscopy and compared the mfl-aptamer to the aptamer domain of the closely related purine-sensing riboswitches. We show that the mfl-aptamer accommodates the extra 2′-deoxyribose unit of the ligand by forming a more relaxed binding pocket than these found in the purine-sensing riboswitches. Tertiary structures of the xpt-aptamer bound to guanine and of the mfl-aptamer bound to 2′-deoxyguanosine exhibit very similar features, although the sequence of the mfl-aptamer contains several alterations compared to the purine-aptamer consensus sequence. These alterations include the truncation of a hairpin loop which is crucial for complex formation in all purine-sensing riboswitches characterized to date. We further defined structural features and ligand binding requirements of the free mfl-aptamer and found that the presence of Mg2+ is not essential for complex formation, but facilitates ligand binding by promoting pre-organization of key structural motifs in the free aptamer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Wacker
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Max von Laue-Strasse 7, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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32
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Schlepckow K, Fürtig B, Schwalbe H. Nonequilibrium NMR Methods for Monitoring Protein and RNA Folding. Z PHYS CHEM 2011. [DOI: 10.1524/zpch.2011.0120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe review introduces to time-resolved NMR spectroscopic investigations of the kinetics of protein and RNA folding. The description of the experimental investigations is discussed in the context of possible kinetic folding pathways showing the extent of information that can be gained from the various kinetic experiments. The review introduces to four different methods to initiate folding reactions in connection with time-resolved NMR experiments and discusses examples of refolding of the model proteinα-lactalbumin and of bistable RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Schlepckow
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biolo, Frankfurt a.M., Deutschland
| | - Boris Fürtig
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biolo, Frankfurt a.M., Deutschland
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33
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Nozinovic S, Richter C, Rinnenthal J, Fürtig B, Duchardt-Ferner E, Weigand JE, Schwalbe H. Quantitative 2D and 3D Gamma-HCP experiments for the determination of the angles alpha and zeta in the phosphodiester backbone of oligonucleotides. J Am Chem Soc 2010; 132:10318-29. [PMID: 20614918 DOI: 10.1021/ja910015n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The quantitative Gamma-(HCP) experiment, a novel heteronuclear NMR pulse sequence for the determination of the RNA backbone angles alpha(O3'(i-1)-P(i)-O5'(i)-C5'(i)) and zeta(C3'(i)-O3'(i)-P(i+1)-O5'(i+1)) in (13)C-labeled RNA, is introduced. The experiment relies on the interaction between the CH bond vector dipole and the (31)P chemical shift anisotropy (CSA), which affects the relaxation of the (13)C,(31)P double- and zero-quantum coherence and thus the intensity of the detectable magnetization. With the new pulse sequence, five different cross-correlated relaxation rates along the phosphodiester backbone can be measured in a quantitative manner, allowing projection-angle and torsion-angle restraints for the two backbone angles alpha and zeta to be extracted. Two versions of the pulse sequence optimized for the CH and CH(2) groups are introduced and demonstrated for a 14-mer cUUCGg tetraloop RNA model system and for a 27-mer RNA with a previously unknown structure. The restraints were incorporated into the calculation of a very high resolution structure of the RNA model system (Nozinovic, S.; et al. Nucleic Acids Res. 2010, 38, 683). Comparison with the X-ray structure of the cUUCGg tetraloop confirmed the high quality of the data, suggesting that the method can significantly improve the quality of RNA structure determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Senada Nozinovic
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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34
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Banáš P, Hollas D, Zgarbová M, Jurečka P, Orozco M, Cheatham TE, Šponer J, Otyepka M. Performance of Molecular Mechanics Force Fields for RNA Simulations: Stability of UUCG and GNRA Hairpins. J Chem Theory Comput 2010; 6:3836-3849. [DOI: 10.1021/ct100481h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 293] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Banáš
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, tr. 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kralovopolska 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Joint Research Program in Computational Biology, Institut de Recerca Biomédica and Barcelona Superocomputing Center, Baldiri i Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain, Jordi Girona 31, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Daniel Hollas
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, tr. 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kralovopolska 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Joint Research Program in Computational Biology, Institut de Recerca Biomédica and Barcelona Superocomputing Center, Baldiri i Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain, Jordi Girona 31, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Marie Zgarbová
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, tr. 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kralovopolska 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Joint Research Program in Computational Biology, Institut de Recerca Biomédica and Barcelona Superocomputing Center, Baldiri i Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain, Jordi Girona 31, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Petr Jurečka
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, tr. 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kralovopolska 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Joint Research Program in Computational Biology, Institut de Recerca Biomédica and Barcelona Superocomputing Center, Baldiri i Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain, Jordi Girona 31, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Modesto Orozco
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, tr. 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kralovopolska 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Joint Research Program in Computational Biology, Institut de Recerca Biomédica and Barcelona Superocomputing Center, Baldiri i Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain, Jordi Girona 31, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Thomas E. Cheatham
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, tr. 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kralovopolska 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Joint Research Program in Computational Biology, Institut de Recerca Biomédica and Barcelona Superocomputing Center, Baldiri i Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain, Jordi Girona 31, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Jiří Šponer
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, tr. 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kralovopolska 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Joint Research Program in Computational Biology, Institut de Recerca Biomédica and Barcelona Superocomputing Center, Baldiri i Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain, Jordi Girona 31, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Michal Otyepka
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, tr. 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kralovopolska 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Joint Research Program in Computational Biology, Institut de Recerca Biomédica and Barcelona Superocomputing Center, Baldiri i Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain, Jordi Girona 31, Barcelona 08028, Spain
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35
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Fulle S, Gohlke H. Molecular recognition of RNA: challenges for modelling interactions and plasticity. J Mol Recognit 2010; 23:220-31. [PMID: 19941322 DOI: 10.1002/jmr.1000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
There is growing interest in molecular recognition processes of RNA because of RNA's widespread involvement in biological processes. Computational approaches are increasingly used for analysing and predicting binding to RNA, fuelled by encouraging progress in developing simulation, free energy and docking methods for nucleic acids. These developments take into account challenges regarding the energetics of RNA-ligand binding, RNA plasticity, and the presence of water molecules and ions in the binding interface. Accordingly, we will detail advances in force field and scoring function development for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, free energy computations and docking calculations of nucleic acid complexes. Furthermore, we present methods that can detect moving parts within RNA structures based on graph-theoretical approaches or normal mode analysis (NMA). As an example of the successful use of these developments, we will discuss recent structure-based drug design approaches that focus on the bacterial ribosomal A-site RNA as a drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Fulle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
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36
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Riccardi L, Nguyen PH, Stock G. Free-energy landscape of RNA hairpins constructed via dihedral angle principal component analysis. J Phys Chem B 2010; 113:16660-8. [PMID: 20028141 DOI: 10.1021/jp9076036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
To systematically construct a low-dimensional free-energy landscape of RNA systems from a classical molecular dynamics simulation, various versions of the principal component analysis (PCA) are compared: the cPCA using the Cartesian coordinates of all atoms, the dPCA using the sine/cosine-transformed six backbone dihedral angles as well as the glycosidic torsional angle chi and the pseudorotational angle P, the aPCA which ignores the circularity of the 6 + 2 dihedral angles of the RNA, and the dPCA(etatheta), which approximates the 6 backbone dihedral angles by 2 pseudotorsional angles eta and theta. As representative examples, a 10-nucleotide UUCG hairpin and the 36-nucleotide segment SL1 of the Psi site of HIV-1 are studied by classical molecular dynamics simulation, using the Amber all-atom force field and explicit solvent. It is shown that the conformational heterogeneity of the RNA hairpins can only be resolved by an angular PCA such as the dPCA but not by the cPCA using Cartesian coordinates. Apart from possible artifacts due to the coupling of overall and internal motion, this is because the details of hydrogen bonding and stacking interactions but also of global structural rearrangements of the RNA are better discriminated by dihedral angles. In line with recent experiments, it is found that the free energy landscape of RNA hairpins is quite rugged and contains various metastable conformational states which may serve as an intermediate for unfolding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Riccardi
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
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37
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Hänsel R, Foldynová-Trantírková S, Löhr F, Buck J, Bongartz E, Bamberg E, Schwalbe H, Dötsch V, Trantírek L. Evaluation of parameters critical for observing nucleic acids inside living Xenopus laevis oocytes by in-cell NMR spectroscopy. J Am Chem Soc 2010; 131:15761-8. [PMID: 19824671 DOI: 10.1021/ja9052027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In-cell NMR spectroscopy of proteins in different cellular environments is a well-established technique that, however, has not been applied to nucleic acids so far. Here, we show that isotopically labeled DNA and RNA can be observed inside the eukaryotic environment of Xenopus laevis oocytes by in-cell NMR spectroscopy. One limiting factor for the observation of nucleic acids in Xenopus oocytes is their reduced stability. We demonstrate that chemical modification of DNA and RNA can protect them from degradation and can significantly enhance their lifetime. Finally, we show that the imino region of the NMR spectrum is devoid of any oocyte background signals enabling the detection even of isotopically nonlabeled molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Hänsel
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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38
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Musselman C, Zhang Q, Al-Hashimi H, Andricioaei I. Referencing strategy for the direct comparison of nuclear magnetic resonance and molecular dynamics motional parameters in RNA. J Phys Chem B 2010; 114:929-39. [PMID: 20039757 PMCID: PMC4287414 DOI: 10.1021/jp905286h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are both techniques that can be used to characterize the structural dynamics of biomolecules and their underlying time scales. Comparison of relaxation parameters obtained through each methodology allows for cross validation of techniques and for complementarity in the analysis of dynamics. Here we present a combined NMR/MD study of the dynamics of HIV-1 transactivation response (TAR) RNA. We compute relaxation constants (R(1), R(2), and NOE) and model-free parameters (S(2) and tau) from a 65 ns molecular dynamics (MD) trajectory and compare them with the respective parameters measured in a domain-elongation NMR experiment. Using the elongated domain as the frame of reference for all computed parameters allows for a direct comparison between experiment and simulation. We see good agreement for many parameters and gain further insight into the nature of the local and global dynamics of TAR, which are found to be quite complex, spanning multiple time scales. For the few cases where agreement is poor, comparison of the dynamical parameters provides insight into the limits of each technique. We suggest a frequency-matching procedure that yields an upper bound for the time scale of dynamics to which the NMR relaxation experiment is sensitive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Musselman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
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39
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Hritz J, Oostenbrink C. Efficient free energy calculations for compounds with multiple stable conformations separated by high energy barriers. J Phys Chem B 2009; 113:12711-20. [PMID: 19722597 DOI: 10.1021/jp902968m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Compounds with high intramolecular energy barriers represent challenging targets for free energy calculations because of the difficulty to obtain sufficient conformational sampling. Existing approaches are therefore computationally very demanding, thus preventing practical applications for such compounds. We present an enhanced sampling-one step perturbation method (ES-OS) to tackle this problem in a highly efficient way. A single molecular dynamics simulation of a judiciously chosen reference state (using two sets of soft-core interactions) is sufficient to determine conformational distributions of chemically similar compounds and the free energy differences between them. The ES-OS method is applied to a set of five biologically relevant 8-substituted GTP analogs having high energy barriers between the anti and the syn conformations of the base with respect to the ribose part. The reliability of ES-OS is verified by comparing the results to Hamiltonian replica exchange simulations of GTP and 8-Br-GTP and the experimentally determined 3J(C4,H1') coupling constant for GMP in water. Additional simulations in vacuum and octanol allow us to calculate differences in the solvation free energies and in lipophilicities (log P). Free energy contributions from individual conformational regions are also calculated, and their relationship with the overall free energy is derived leading to a set of multiconformational free energy formulas. These relationships are of general applicability and can be used in free energy calculations for a more diverse set of compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jozef Hritz
- Leiden Amsterdam Center for Drug Research, Division of Molecular Toxicology, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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40
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Ampt KAM, van der Werf RM, Nelissen FHT, Tessari M, Wijmenga SS. The unstable part of the apical stem of duck hepatitis B virus epsilon shows enhanced base pair opening but not pico- to nanosecond dynamics and is essential for reverse transcriptase binding. Biochemistry 2009; 48:10499-508. [PMID: 19817488 DOI: 10.1021/bi9011385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication starts with binding of reverse transcriptase (RT) to the apical stem-loop region of epsilon, a conserved element of the RNA pregenome. For duck HBV, an in vitro replication system has provided molecular details of this interaction. Further insights can be obtained from the structure and dynamics of the duck and human apical stem-loops. Previously, we reported these for the human apical stem-loop. Here, we present the same for the duck counterpart. Unlike its human counterpart, the duck apical stem is unstable in its middle/upper part and contains noncanonical base pairs. This dynamics study is the first of an unstable RNA-DNA stem. Similar to the human stem, the duck apical stem comprises two helical segments with a bend angle of ca. 10 degrees , separated by a nonpaired mobile U residue. It is capped by a well-structured conserved UGUU loop with two residues mobile on the pico- to nanosecond time scale, one of which is involved in RT binding. Remarkably, the unstable middle/upper part of the stem does not show enhanced pico- to nanosecond time scale dynamics. Instead, adenine dispersion relaxation studies indicate enhanced millisecond time scale dynamics involving base pair opening. It can then be concluded that base pair opening is essential for epsilon-RT binding, because stabilization of the stem abolishes binding. We hypothesize that binding occurs by conformational capture of bases in the base pair open state. The unstable secondary structure of the apical stem-loop makes duck epsilon-RT binding unusual in light of recent classifications of RNA target interactions that assume stable secondary structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten A M Ampt
- Biophysical Chemistry, Institute of Molecules and Materials, Radboud University of Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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41
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Nozinovic S, Fürtig B, Jonker HRA, Richter C, Schwalbe H. High-resolution NMR structure of an RNA model system: the 14-mer cUUCGg tetraloop hairpin RNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2009; 38:683-94. [PMID: 19906714 PMCID: PMC2811024 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkp956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) solution structure of a 14-mer RNA hairpin capped by cUUCGg tetraloop. This short and very stable RNA presents an important model system for the study of RNA structure and dynamics using NMR spectroscopy, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and RNA force-field development. The extraordinary high precision of the structure (root mean square deviation of 0.3 A) could be achieved by measuring and incorporating all currently accessible NMR parameters, including distances derived from nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) intensities, torsion-angle dependent homonuclear and heteronuclear scalar coupling constants, projection-angle-dependent cross-correlated relaxation rates and residual dipolar couplings. The structure calculations were performed with the program CNS using the ARIA setup and protocols. The structure quality was further improved by a final refinement in explicit water using OPLS force field parameters for non-bonded interactions and charges. In addition, the 2'-hydroxyl groups have been assigned and their conformation has been analyzed based on NOE contacts. The structure currently defines a benchmark for the precision and accuracy amenable to RNA structure determination by NMR spectroscopy. Here, we discuss the impact of various NMR restraints on structure quality and discuss in detail the dynamics of this system as previously determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Senada Nozinovic
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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42
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Ferner J, Suhartono M, Breitung S, Jonker HRA, Hennig M, Wöhnert J, Göbel M, Schwalbe H. Structures of HIV TAR RNA-ligand complexes reveal higher binding stoichiometries. Chembiochem 2009; 10:1490-4. [PMID: 19444830 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.200900220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Target TAR by NMR: Tripeptides containing arginines as terminal residues and non-natural amino acids as central residues are good leads for drug design to target the HIV trans-activation response element (TAR). The structural characterization of the RNA-ligand complex by NMR spectroscopy reveals two specific binding sites that are located at bulge residue U23 and around the pyrimidine-stretch U40-C41-U42 directly adjacent to the bulge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Ferner
- Institut für Organische Chemie und Chemische Biologie, Zentrum für Biomolekulare Magnetische Resonanz (BMRZ), Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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43
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Rinnenthal J, Richter C, Nozinovic S, Fürtig B, Lopez JJ, Glaubitz C, Schwalbe H. RNA phosphodiester backbone dynamics of a perdeuterated cUUCGg tetraloop RNA from phosphorus-31 NMR relaxation analysis. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2009; 45:143-55. [PMID: 19636800 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-009-9343-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2009] [Accepted: 06/19/2009] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
We have analyzed the relaxation properties of all (31)P nuclei in an RNA cUUCGg tetraloop model hairpin at proton magnetic field strengths of 300, 600 and 900 MHz in solution. Significant H, P dipolar contributions to R (1) and R (2) relaxation are observed in a protonated RNA sample at 600 MHz. These contributions can be suppressed using a perdeuterated RNA sample. In order to interpret the (31)P relaxation data (R (1), R (2)), we measured the (31)P chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) by solid-state NMR spectroscopy under various salt and hydration conditions. A value of 178.5 ppm for the (31)P CSA in the static state (S (2) = 1) could be determined. In order to obtain information about fast time scale dynamics we performed a modelfree analysis on the basis of our relaxation data. The results show that subnanosecond dynamics detected around the phosphodiester backbone are more pronounced than the dynamics detected for the ribofuranosyl and nucleobase moieties of the individual nucleotides (Duchardt and Schwalbe, J Biomol NMR 32:295-308, 2005; Ferner et al., Nucleic Acids Res 36:1928-1940, 2008). Furthermore, the dynamics of the individual phosphate groups seem to be correlated to the 5' neighbouring nucleobases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Rinnenthal
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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44
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Johnson JE, Hoogstraten CG. Extensive backbone dynamics in the GCAA RNA tetraloop analyzed using 13C NMR spin relaxation and specific isotope labeling. J Am Chem Soc 2009; 130:16757-69. [PMID: 19049467 DOI: 10.1021/ja805759z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Conformational dynamics play a key role in the properties and functions of proteins and nucleic acids. Heteronuclear NMR spin relaxation is a uniquely powerful site-specific probe of dynamics in proteins and has found increasing applications to nucleotide base side chains and anomeric sites in RNA. Applications to the nucleic acid ribose backbone, however, have been hampered by strong magnetic coupling among ring carbons in uniformly 13C-labeled samples. In this work, we apply a recently developed, metabolically directed isotope labeling scheme that places 13C with high efficiency and specificity at the nucleotide ribose C2' and C4' sites. We take advantage of this scheme to explore backbone dynamics in the well-studied GCAA RNA tetraloop. Using a combination of CPMG (Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill) and R(1rho) relaxation dispersion spectroscopy to explore exchange processes on the microsecond to millisecond time scale, we find an extensive pattern of dynamic transitions connecting a set of relatively well-defined conformations. In many cases, the observed transitions appear to be linked to C3'-endo/C2'-endo sugar pucker transitions of the corresponding nucleotides, and may also be correlated across multiple nucleotides within the tetraloop. These results demonstrate the power of NMR spin relaxation based on alternate-site isotope labeling to open a new window into the dynamic properties of ribose backbone groups in RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
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45
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Frank AT, Stelzer AC, Al-Hashimi HM, Andricioaei I. Constructing RNA dynamical ensembles by combining MD and motionally decoupled NMR RDCs: new insights into RNA dynamics and adaptive ligand recognition. Nucleic Acids Res 2009; 37:3670-9. [PMID: 19369218 PMCID: PMC2699496 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkp156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a strategy for constructing atomic resolution dynamical ensembles of RNA molecules, spanning up to millisecond timescales, that combines molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with NMR residual dipolar couplings (RDC) measured in elongated RNA. The ensembles are generated via a Monte Carlo procedure by selecting snap-shot from an MD trajectory that reproduce experimentally measured RDCs. Using this approach, we construct ensembles for two variants of the transactivation response element (TAR) containing three (HIV-1) and two (HIV-2) nucleotide bulges. The HIV-1 TAR ensemble reveals significant mobility in bulge residues C24 and U25 and to a lesser extent U23 and neighboring helical residue A22 that give rise to large amplitude spatially correlated twisting and bending helical motions. Omission of bulge residue C24 in HIV-2 TAR leads to a significant reduction in both the local mobility in and around the bulge and amplitude of inter-helical bending motions. In contrast, twisting motions of the helices remain comparable in amplitude to HIV-1 TAR and spatial correlations between them increase significantly. Comparison of the HIV-1 TAR dynamical ensemble and ligand bound TAR conformations reveals that several features of the binding pocket and global conformation are dynamically preformed, providing support for adaptive recognition via a ‘conformational selection’ type mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron T Frank
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, 1102 Natural Sciences 2, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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46
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Vokácová Z, Budĕsínský M, Rosenberg I, Schneider B, Sponer J, Sychrovský V. Structure and dynamics of the ApA, ApC, CpA, and CpC RNA dinucleoside monophosphates resolved with NMR scalar spin-spin couplings. J Phys Chem B 2009; 113:1182-91. [PMID: 19128019 DOI: 10.1021/jp809762b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The measured NMR scalar coupling constants (J-couplings) in the XpY, (X,Y = adenine (A) or cytosine (C)) RNA dinucleoside monophosphates (DMPs) were assigned to the backbone (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta) and glycosidic (chi) torsion angles in order to resolve the global structure of the DMP molecules. The experimental J-couplings were correlated with the theoretical J-couplings obtained as the dynamical averages of the Karplus equations relevant to the torsion angles. The dynamical information was captured using the molecular dynamics (MD) calculation method. The individual conformational flexibility of the four DMP molecules was thus consistently probed with the NMR J-couplings. The calculated structure and flexibility of the DMP molecules depend on the sequence considered with respect to the 5' and 3' end of the DMP molecules (5'-XpY-3'). The dynamical characteristics of the two nucleosides are not equivalent even for the ApA and CpC homologues. An enhancement of the sampling in the MD calculations was achieved using five different starting structural motives classified previously for the RNA backbone in the solid phase (Richardson et al. RNA 2008, 14, 465-481). The initial structures were selected on the basis of a database search for RNA oligonucleotides. Frequent interconversions between the conformers during the MD calculations were actually observed. The structural interpretation of the NMR spectroscopic data based on the MD simulations combined with the Karplus equations indicates that the dominant conformation of the DMP molecules in solution corresponds to the A-RNA form. For 52% of the total simulation time (1000 ns), the zeta(g-)-alpha(g-)-gamma(g+) backbone topology corresponding to the canonical A-RNA form was observed, with roughly equally populated C2'- and C3'-endo sugar puckers interconverting on the nanosecond time scale. However, other noncanonical patterns were also found and thus indicate their relatively high potential to be populated in the dynamical regime. For approximately 72% of the time portion when the A-RNA of the zeta-alpha-gamma combination occurred, the nucleobases were classified as being mutually stacked. The geometries of the nucleobases classified in this work as stacked were significantly more populated for the DMP molecules with adenosine at the 3' end (ApA and CpA DMPs) than the ApC or CpC RNA molecules with C at the 3' end.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Vokácová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
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Šponer J, Zgarbová M, Jurečka P, Riley KE, Šponer JE, Hobza P. Reference Quantum Chemical Calculations on RNA Base Pairs Directly Involving the 2′-OH Group of Ribose. J Chem Theory Comput 2009; 5:1166-79. [DOI: 10.1021/ct800547k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Department of Physical Chemistry, Palacky University, tr. Svobody 26, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and Center of Biomolecules and Complex Molecular Systems, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 23346, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto
| | - Marie Zgarbová
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Department of Physical Chemistry, Palacky University, tr. Svobody 26, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and Center of Biomolecules and Complex Molecular Systems, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 23346, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto
| | - Petr Jurečka
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Department of Physical Chemistry, Palacky University, tr. Svobody 26, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and Center of Biomolecules and Complex Molecular Systems, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 23346, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto
| | - Kevin E. Riley
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Department of Physical Chemistry, Palacky University, tr. Svobody 26, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and Center of Biomolecules and Complex Molecular Systems, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 23346, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto
| | - Judit E. Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Department of Physical Chemistry, Palacky University, tr. Svobody 26, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and Center of Biomolecules and Complex Molecular Systems, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 23346, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto
| | - Pavel Hobza
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic, Department of Physical Chemistry, Palacky University, tr. Svobody 26, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and Center of Biomolecules and Complex Molecular Systems, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 23346, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto
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48
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Brumovská E, Sychrovský V, Vokácová Z, Sponer J, Schneider B, Trantírek L. Effect of local sugar and base geometry on 13C and 15N magnetic shielding anisotropy in DNA nucleosides. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2008; 42:209-223. [PMID: 18853259 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-008-9278-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2008] [Revised: 09/17/2008] [Accepted: 09/17/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Density functional theory was employed to study the dependence of 13C and 15N magnetic shielding tensors on the glycosidic torsion angle (chi) and conformation of the sugar ring in 2'-deoxyadenosine, 2'-deoxyguanosine, 2'-deoxycytidine, and 2'-deoxythymidine. In general, the magnetic shielding of the glycosidic nitrogens and the sugar carbons was found to depend on both the conformation of the sugar ring and chi. Our calculations indicate that the magnetic shielding anisotropy of the C6 atom in pyrimidine and the C8 atom in purine bases depends strongly on chi. The remaining base carbons were found to be insensitive to both sugar pucker and chi re-orientation. These results call into question the underlying assumptions of currently established methods for interpreting residual chemical shift anisotropies and 13C and 15N auto- and cross-correlated relaxation rates and highlight possible limitations of DNA applications of these methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Brumovská
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia and Biology Centre AS CR v.v.i., Branisovská 31, 370 05, Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic
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49
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Hall KB. RNA in motion. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2008; 12:612-8. [PMID: 18957331 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2008.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2008] [Revised: 09/05/2008] [Accepted: 09/20/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Although RNA duplex regions are highly structured and inflexible, other elements of an RNA molecule are capable of dynamic motions. These flexible regions are the sites of interactions with small molecules, proteins, and other RNAs, yet there are few descriptions of these regions that include the timescale and amplitude of their motions. No one technique is sufficient to accurately describe these motions, but the combination of in vitro methods, particularly NMR relaxation methods, and more robust in silico methods, is beginning to yield the type of data that can be used to understand RNA function. Very few RNAs have been described by both techniques, and here one such RNA and one RNA:protein complex are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen B Hall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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50
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Gherghe CM, Shajani Z, Wilkinson KA, Varani G, Weeks KM. Strong correlation between SHAPE chemistry and the generalized NMR order parameter (S2) in RNA. J Am Chem Soc 2008; 130:12244-5. [PMID: 18710236 PMCID: PMC2712629 DOI: 10.1021/ja804541s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The functions of most RNA molecules are critically dependent on the distinct local dynamics that characterize secondary structure and tertiary interactions and on structural changes that occur upon binding by proteins and small molecule ligands. Measurements of RNA dynamics at nucleotide resolution set the foundation for understanding the roles of individual residues in folding, catalysis, and ligand recognition. In favorable cases, local order in small RNAs can be quantitatively analyzed by NMR in terms of a generalized order parameter, S2. Alternatively, SHAPE (selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension) chemistry measures local nucleotide flexibility in RNAs of any size using structure-sensitive reagents that acylate the 2'-hydroxyl position. In this work, we compare per-residue RNA dynamics, analyzed by both S2 and SHAPE, for three RNAs: the HIV-1 TAR element, the U1A protein binding site, and the Tetrahymena telomerase stem loop 4. We find a very strong correlation between the two measurements: nucleotides with high SHAPE reactivities consistently have low S2 values. We conclude that SHAPE chemistry quantitatively reports local nucleotide dynamics and can be used with confidence to analyze dynamics in large RNAs, RNA-protein complexes, and RNAs in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costin M Gherghe
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, USA
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