A preorganized active site in the crystal structure of the Tetrahymena ribozyme

Challenges, advances, and opportunities in RNA structural biology by Cryo-EM

RNAs are remarkably versatile molecules that can fold into intricate three-dimensional (3D) structures to perform diverse cellular and viral functions. Despite their biological importance, relatively few RNA 3D structures have been solved, and our understanding of RNA structure-function relationships remains in its infancy. This limitation partly arises from challenges posed by RNA's complex conformational landscape, characterized by structural flexibility, formation of multiple states, and a propensity to misfold. Recently, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has emerged as a powerful tool for the visualization of conformationally dynamic RNA-only 3D structures. However, RNA's characteristics continue to pose challenges. We discuss experimental methods developed to overcome these hurdles, including the engineering of modular modifications that facilitate the visualization of small RNAs, improve particle alignment, and validate structural models.

Highly Reactive Group I Introns Ubiquitous in Pathogenic Fungi

Systemic fungal infections are a growing public health threat, and yet viable antifungal drug targets are limited as fungi share a similar proteome with humans. However, features of RNA metabolism and the noncoding transcriptomes in fungi are distinctive. For example, fungi harbor highly structured RNA elements that humans lack, such as self-splicing introns within key housekeeping genes in the mitochondria. However, the location and function of these mitochondrial riboregulatory elements has largely eluded characterization. Here we used an RNA-structure-based bioinformatics pipeline to identify the group I introns interrupting key mitochondrial genes in medically relevant fungi, revealing their fixation within a handful of genetic hotspots and their ubiquitous presence across divergent phylogenies of fungi, including all highest priority pathogens such as Candida albicans, Candida auris, Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans. We then biochemically characterized two representative introns from C. albicans and C. auris, demonstrating their exceptionally efficient splicing catalysis relative to previously-characterized group I introns. Indeed, the C. albicans mitochondrial intron displays extremely rapid catalytic turnover, even at ambient temperatures and physiological magnesium ion concentrations. Our results unmask a significant new set of players in the RNA metabolism of pathogenic fungi, suggesting a promising new type of antifungal drug target.

Snapshots of the second-step self-splicing of Tetrahymena ribozyme revealed by cryo-EM

Group I introns are catalytic RNAs that coordinate two consecutive transesterification reactions for self-splicing. To understand how the group I intron promotes catalysis and coordinates self-splicing reactions, we determine the structures of L-16 Tetrahymena ribozyme in complex with a 5'-splice site analog product and a 3'-splice site analog substrate using cryo-EM. We solve six conformations from a single specimen, corresponding to different splicing intermediates after the first ester-transfer reaction. The structures reveal dynamics during self-splicing, including large conformational changes of the internal guide sequence and the J5/4 junction as well as subtle rearrangements of active-site metals and the hydrogen bond formed between the 2'-OH group of A261 and the N2 group of guanosine substrate. These results help complete a detailed structural and mechanistic view of this paradigmatic group I intron undergoing the second step of self-splicing.

The origin of genetic and metabolic systems: Evolutionary structuralinsights

DNA is derived from reverse transcription and its origin is related to reverse transcriptase, DNA polymerase and integrase. The gene structure originated from the evolution of the first RNA polymerase. Thus, an explanation of the origin of the genetic system must also explain the evolution of these enzymes. This paper proposes a polymer structure model, termed the stable complex evolution model, which explains the evolution of enzymes and functional molecules. Enzymes evolved their functions by forming locally tightly packed complexes with specific substrates. A metabolic reaction can therefore be considered to be the result of adaptive evolution in this way when a certain essential molecule is lacking in a cell. The evolution of the primitive genetic and metabolic systems was thus coordinated and synchronized. According to the stable complex model, almost all functional molecules establish binding affinity and specific recognition through complementary interactions, and functional molecules therefore have the nature of being auto-reactive. This is thermodynamically favorable and leads to functional duplication and self-organization. Therefore, it can be speculated that biological systems have a certain tendency to maintain functional stability or are influenced by an inherent selective power. The evolution of dormant bacteria may support this hypothesis, and inherent selectivity can be unified with natural selection at the molecular level.

Snapshots of the first-step self-splicing of Tetrahymena ribozyme revealed by cryo-EM

Tetrahymena ribozyme is a group I intron, whose self-splicing is the result of two sequential ester-transfer reactions. To understand how it facilitates catalysis in the first self-splicing reaction, we used cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to resolve the structures of L-16 Tetrahymena ribozyme complexed with a 11-nucleotide 5'-splice site analog substrate. Four conformations were achieved to 4.14, 3.18, 3.09 and 2.98 Å resolutions, respectively, corresponding to different splicing intermediates during the first enzymatic reaction. Comparison of these structures reveals structural alterations, including large conformational changes in IGS/IGSext (P1-P1ext duplex) and J5/4, as well as subtle local rearrangements in the G-binding site. These structural changes are required for the enzymatic activity of the Tetrahymena ribozyme. Our study demonstrates the ability of cryo-EM to capture dynamic RNA structural changes, ushering in a new era in the analysis of RNA structure-function by cryo-EM.

Computer Aided Development of Nucleic Acid Applications in Nanotechnologies

Utilization of nucleic acids (NAs) in nanotechnologies and nanotechnology-related applications is a growing field with broad application potential, ranging from biosensing up to targeted cell delivery. Computer simulations are useful techniques that can aid design and speed up development in this field. This review focuses on computer simulations of hybrid nanomaterials composed of NAs and other components. Current state-of-the-art molecular dynamics simulations, empirical force fields (FFs), and coarse-grained approaches for the description of deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid are critically discussed. Challenges in combining biomacromolecular and nanomaterial FFs are emphasized. Recent applications of simulations for modeling NAs and their interactions with nano- and biomaterials are overviewed in the fields of sensing applications, targeted delivery, and NA templated materials. Future perspectives of development are also highlighted.

Structural Organization of S516 Group I Introns in Myxomycetes

Group I introns are mobile genetic elements encoding self-splicing ribozymes. Group I introns in nuclear genes are restricted to ribosomal DNA of eukaryotic microorganisms. For example, the myxomycetes, which represent a distinct protist phylum with a unique life strategy, are rich in nucleolar group I introns. We analyzed and compared 75 group I introns at position 516 in the small subunit ribosomal DNA from diverse and distantly related myxomycete taxa. A consensus secondary structure revealed a conserved group IC1 ribozyme core, but with a surprising RNA sequence complexity in the peripheral regions. Five S516 group I introns possess a twintron organization, where a His-Cys homing endonuclease gene insertion was interrupted by a small spliceosomal intron. Eleven S516 introns contained direct repeat arrays with varying lengths of the repeated motif, a varying copy number, and different structural organizations. Phylogenetic analyses of S516 introns and the corresponding host genes revealed a complex inheritance pattern, with both vertical and horizontal transfers. Finally, we reconstructed the evolutionary history of S516 nucleolar group I introns from insertion of mobile-type introns at unoccupied cognate sites, through homing endonuclease gene degradation and loss, and finally to the complete loss of introns. We conclude that myxomycete S516 introns represent a family of genetic elements with surprisingly dynamic structures despite a common function in RNA self-splicing.

Sub-3-Å cryo-EM structure of RNA enabled by engineered homomeric self-assembly

High-resolution structural studies are essential for understanding the folding and function of diverse RNAs. Herein, we present a nanoarchitectural engineering strategy for efficient structural determination of RNA-only structures using single-particle cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). This strategy-ROCK (RNA oligomerization-enabled cryo-EM via installing kissing loops)-involves installing kissing-loop sequences onto the functionally nonessential stems of RNAs for homomeric self-assembly into closed rings with multiplied molecular weights and mitigated structural flexibility. ROCK enables cryo-EM reconstruction of the Tetrahymena group I intron at 2.98-Å resolution overall (2.85 Å for the core), allowing de novo model building of the complete RNA, including the previously unknown peripheral domains. ROCK is further applied to two smaller RNAs-the Azoarcus group I intron and the FMN riboswitch, revealing the conformational change of the former and the bound ligand in the latter. ROCK holds promise to greatly facilitate the use of cryo-EM in RNA structural studies.

Overview of Methods for Large-Scale RNA Synthesis

In recent years, it has become clear that RNA molecules are involved in almost all vital cellular processes and pathogenesis of human disorders. The functional diversity of RNA comes from its structural richness. Although composed of only four nucleotides, RNA molecules present a plethora of secondary and tertiary structures critical for intra and intermolecular contacts with other RNAs and ligands (proteins, small metabolites, etc.). In order to fully understand RNA function it is necessary to define its spatial structure. Crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance and cryogenic electron microscopy have demonstrated considerable success in determining the structures of biologically important RNA molecules. However, these powerful methods require large amounts of sample. Despite their limitations, chemical synthesis and in vitro transcription are usually employed to obtain milligram quantities of RNA for structural studies, delivering simple and effective methods for large-scale production of homogenous samples. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of methods for large-scale RNA synthesis with emphasis on chemical synthesis and in vitro transcription. We also present our own results of testing the efficiency of these approaches in order to adapt the material acquisition strategy depending on the desired RNA construct.

Effects of chain length of polyethylene glycol molecular crowders on a mutant Tetrahymena group I ribozyme lacking large peripheral module

While current group I ribozymes use several distinct strategies to function under conditions of low Mg²⁺ concentration (≤ 3 mM), a deletion mutant of the Tetrahymena ribozyme (ΔP5 ribozyme) is virtually inactive with 3 mM Mg²⁺ due to removal of the large peripheral module, P5abc, supporting the active conformation of the core module. We investigated the molecular crowding effects of synthetic polyethylene glycols (PEGs) on the activity of the ΔP5 ribozyme. Among PEG molecules with different chain lengths, PEG600 improved the activity of the ΔP5 ribozyme most effectively in the presence of 3 mM Mg²⁺.

Cryo-EM structures of full-length Tetrahymena ribozyme at 3.1 Å resolution

Single-particle cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has become a standard technique for determining protein structures at atomic resolution^1-3. However, cryo-EM studies of protein-free RNA are in their early days. The Tetrahymena thermophila group I self-splicing intron was the first ribozyme to be discovered and has been a prominent model system for the study of RNA catalysis and structure-function relationships⁴, but its full structure remains unknown. Here we report cryo-EM structures of the full-length Tetrahymena ribozyme in substrate-free and bound states at a resolution of 3.1 Å. Newly resolved peripheral regions form two coaxially stacked helices; these are interconnected by two kissing loop pseudoknots that wrap around the catalytic core and include two previously unforeseen (to our knowledge) tertiary interactions. The global architecture is nearly identical in both states; only the internal guide sequence and guanosine binding site undergo a large conformational change and a localized shift, respectively, upon binding of RNA substrates. These results provide a long-sought structural view of a paradigmatic RNA enzyme and signal a new era for the cryo-EM-based study of structure-function relationships in ribozymes.

An RNA-centric historical narrative around the Protein Data Bank

Some of the amazing contributions brought to the scientific community by the Protein Data Bank (PDB) are described. The focus is on nucleic acid structures with a bias toward RNA. The evolution and key roles in science of the PDB and other structural databases for nucleic acids illustrate how small initial ideas can become huge and indispensable resources with the unflinching willingness of scientists to cooperate globally. The progress in the understanding of the molecular interactions driving RNA architectures followed the rapid increase in RNA structures in the PDB. That increase was consecutive to improvements in chemical synthesis and purification of RNA molecules, as well as in biophysical methods for structure determination and computer technology. The RNA modeling efforts from the early beginnings are also described together with their links to the state of structural knowledge and technological development. Structures of RNA and of its assemblies are physical objects, which, together with genomic data, allow us to integrate present-day biological functions and the historical evolution in all living species on earth.

ATP utilization by a DEAD-box protein during refolding of a misfolded group I intron ribozyme

DEAD-box helicase proteins perform ATP-dependent rearrangements of structured RNAs throughout RNA biology. Short RNA helices are unwound in a single ATPase cycle, but the ATP requirement for more complex RNA structural rearrangements is unknown. Here we measure the amount of ATP used for native refolding of a misfolded group I intron ribozyme by CYT-19, a Neurospora crassa DEAD-box protein that functions as a general chaperone for mitochondrial group I introns. By comparing the rates of ATP hydrolysis and ribozyme refolding, we find that several hundred ATP molecules are hydrolyzed during refolding of each ribozyme molecule. After subtracting nonproductive ATP hydrolysis that occurs in the absence of ribozyme refolding, we find that approximately 100 ATPs are hydrolyzed per refolded RNA as a consequence of interactions specific to the misfolded ribozyme. This value is insensitive to changes in ATP and CYT-19 concentration and decreases with decreasing ribozyme stability. Because of earlier findings that ∼90% of global ribozyme unfolding cycles lead back to the kinetically preferred misfolded conformation and are not observed, we estimate that each global unfolding cycle consumes ∼10 ATPs. Our results indicate that CYT-19 functions as a general RNA chaperone by using a stochastic, energy-intensive mechanism to promote RNA unfolding and refolding, suggesting an evolutionary convergence with protein chaperones.

Accelerated cryo-EM-guided determination of three-dimensional RNA-only structures

The discovery and design of biologically important RNA molecules is outpacing three-dimensional structural characterization. Here, we demonstrate that cryo-electron microscopy can routinely resolve maps of RNA-only systems and that these maps enable subnanometer-resolution coordinate estimation when complemented with multidimensional chemical mapping and Rosetta DRRAFTER computational modeling. This hybrid 'Ribosolve' pipeline detects and falsifies homologies and conformational rearrangements in 11 previously unknown 119- to 338-nucleotide protein-free RNA structures: full-length Tetrahymena ribozyme, hc16 ligase with and without substrate, full-length Vibrio cholerae and Fusobacterium nucleatum glycine riboswitch aptamers with and without glycine, Mycobacterium SAM-IV riboswitch with and without S-adenosylmethionine, and the computer-designed ATP-TTR-3 aptamer with and without AMP. Simulation benchmarks, blind challenges, compensatory mutagenesis, cross-RNA homologies and internal controls demonstrate that Ribosolve can accurately resolve the global architectures of RNA molecules but does not resolve atomic details. These tests offer guidelines for making inferences in future RNA structural studies with similarly accelerated throughput.

Hidden Structural Modules in a Cooperative RNA Folding Transition

Large-scale, cooperative rearrangements underlie the functions of RNA in RNA-protein machines and gene regulation. To understand how such rearrangements are orchestrated, we used high-throughput chemical footprinting to dissect a seemingly concerted rearrangement in P5abc RNA, a paradigm of RNA folding studies. With mutations that systematically disrupt or restore putative structural elements, we found that this transition reflects local folding of structural modules, with modest and incremental cooperativity that results in concerted behavior. First, two distant secondary structure changes are coupled through a bridging three-way junction and Mg²⁺-dependent tertiary structure. Second, long-range contacts are formed between modules, resulting in additional cooperativity. Given the sparseness of RNA tertiary contacts after secondary structure formation, we expect that modular folding and incremental cooperativity are generally important for specifying functional structures while also providing productive kinetic paths to these structures. Additionally, we expect our approach to be useful for uncovering modularity in other complex RNAs.

jViz.RNA 4.0-Visualizing pseudoknots and RNA editing employing compressed tree graphs

Previously, we have introduced an improved version of jViz.RNA which enabled faster and more stable RNA visualization by employing compressed tree graphs. However, the new RNA representation and visualization method required a sophisticated mechanism of pseudoknot visualization. In this work, we present our novel pseudoknot classification and implementation of pseudoknot visualization in the context of the new RNA graph model. We then compare our approach with other RNA visualization software, and demonstrate jViz.RNA 4.0's benefits compared to other software. Additionally, we introduce interactive editing functionality into jViz.RNA and demonstrate its benefits in exploring and building RNA structures. The results presented highlight the new high degree of utility jViz.RNA 4.0 now offers. Users are now able to visualize pseudoknotted RNA, manipulate the resulting automatic layouts to suit their individual needs, and change both positioning and connectivity of the RNA molecules examined. Care was taken to limit overlap between structural elements, particularly in the case of pseudoknots to ensure an intuitive and informative layout of the final RNA structure. Availability: The software is freely available at: https://jviz.cs.sfu.ca/.

Group I Intron-Based Therapeutics Through Trans-Splicing Reaction

In 1982, the Cech group discovered that an intron structure in an rRNA precursor of Tetrahymena thermophila is sufficient to complete splicing without assistance from proteins. This was the first moment that scientists recognized RNAs can have catalytic activities derived from their own unique three-dimensional structures and thus play more various roles in biological processes than thought before. Several additional catalytic RNAs, called ribozymes, were subsequently identified in nature followed by intense studies to reveal their mechanisms of action and to engineer them for use in fields such as molecular cell biology, therapeutics, imaging, etc. Naturally occurring RNA-targeting ribozymes can be broadly classified into two categories by their abilities: Self-cleavage and self-splicing. Since ribozymes use base-pairing to recognize cleavage sites, identification of the catalytic center of naturally occurring ribozymes enables to engineer from "self" to "trans" acting ones which has accelerated to design and use ribozyme as valuable tools in gene therapy fields. Especially, group I intron-based trans-splicing ribozyme has unique property to use as a gene therapeutic agent. It can destroy and simultaneously repair (and/or reprogram) target RNAs to yield the desired therapeutic RNAs, maintaining endogenous spatial and temporal gene regulation of target RNAs. There have been progressive improvements in trans-splicing ribozymes and successful applications of these elements in gene therapy and molecular imaging approaches for various pathogenic conditions. In this chapter, current status of trans-splicing ribozyme therapeutics, focusing on Tetrahymena group I intron-based ribozymes, and their future prospects will be discussed.

Analyses of mRNA structure dynamics identify embryonic gene regulatory programs

RNA folding plays a crucial role in RNA function. However, knowledge of the global structure of the transcriptome is limited to cellular systems at steady state, thus hindering the understanding of RNA structure dynamics during biological transitions and how it influences gene function. Here, we characterized mRNA structure dynamics during zebrafish development. We observed that on a global level, translation guides structure rather than structure guiding translation. We detected a decrease in structure in translated regions and identified the ribosome as a major remodeler of RNA structure in vivo. In contrast, we found that 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) form highly folded structures in vivo, which can affect gene expression by modulating microRNA activity. Furthermore, dynamic 3'-UTR structures contain RNA-decay elements, such as the regulatory elements in nanog and ccna1, two genes encoding key maternal factors orchestrating the maternal-to-zygotic transition. These results reveal a central role of RNA structure dynamics in gene regulatory programs.

Life under the Microscope: Single-Molecule Fluorescence Highlights the RNA World

The emergence of single-molecule (SM) fluorescence techniques has opened up a vast new toolbox for exploring the molecular basis of life. The ability to monitor individual biomolecules in real time enables complex, dynamic folding pathways to be interrogated without the averaging effect of ensemble measurements. In parallel, modern biology has been revolutionized by our emerging understanding of the many functions of RNA. In this comprehensive review, we survey SM fluorescence approaches and discuss how the application of these tools to RNA and RNA-containing macromolecular complexes in vitro has yielded significant insights into the underlying biology. Topics covered include the three-dimensional folding landscapes of a plethora of isolated RNA molecules, their assembly and interactions in RNA-protein complexes, and the relation of these properties to their biological functions. In all of these examples, the use of SM fluorescence methods has revealed critical information beyond the reach of ensemble averages.

Therapeutic applications of group I intron-based trans-splicing ribozymes

Since the breakthrough discovery of catalytic RNAs (ribozymes) in the early 1980s, valuable ribozyme-based gene therapies have been developed for incurable diseases ranging from genetic disorders to viral infections and cancers. Ribozymes can be engineered and used to downregulate or repair pathogenic genes via RNA cleavage mediated by trans-cleaving ribozymes or repair and reprograming mediated by trans-splicing ribozymes, respectively. Uniquely, trans-splicing ribozymes can edit target RNAs via simultaneous destruction and repair (and/or reprograming) to yield the desired therapeutic RNAs, thus selectively inducing therapeutic gene activity in cells expressing the target RNAs. In contrast to traditional gene therapy approaches, such as simple addition of therapeutic transgenes or inhibition of disease-causing genes, the selective repair and/or reprograming abilities of trans-splicing ribozymes in target RNA-expressing cells facilitates the maintenance of endogenous spatial and temporal gene regulation and reduction of disease-associated transcript expression. In molecular imaging technologies, trans-splicing ribozymes can be used to reprogram specific RNAs in living cells and organisms by the 3'-tagging of reporter RNAs. The past two decades have seen progressive improvements in trans-splicing ribozymes and the successful application of these elements in gene therapy and molecular imaging approaches for various pathogenic conditions, such as genetic, infectious, and malignant disease. This review provides an overview of the current status of trans-splicing ribozyme therapeutics, focusing on Tetrahymena group I intron-based ribozymes, and their future prospects. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.

Base pair probability estimates improve the prediction accuracy of RNA non-canonical base pairs

Prediction of RNA tertiary structure from sequence is an important problem, but generating accurate structure models for even short sequences remains difficult. Predictions of RNA tertiary structure tend to be least accurate in loop regions, where non-canonical pairs are important for determining the details of structure. Non-canonical pairs can be predicted using a knowledge-based model of structure that scores nucleotide cyclic motifs, or NCMs. In this work, a partition function algorithm is introduced that allows the estimation of base pairing probabilities for both canonical and non-canonical interactions. Pairs that are predicted to be probable are more likely to be found in the true structure than pairs of lower probability. Pair probability estimates can be further improved by predicting the structure conserved across multiple homologous sequences using the TurboFold algorithm. These pairing probabilities, used in concert with prior knowledge of the canonical secondary structure, allow accurate inference of non-canonical pairs, an important step towards accurate prediction of the full tertiary structure. Software to predict non-canonical base pairs and pairing probabilities is now provided as part of the RNAstructure software package.

Heterodimerization of Group I Ribozymes Enabling Exon Recombination through Pairs of Cooperative trans-Splicing Reactions

Group I (GI) self-splicing ribozymes are attractive tools for biotechnology and synthetic biology. Several trans-splicing and related reactions based on GI ribozymes have been developed for the purpose of recombining their target mRNA sequences. By combining trans-splicing systems with rational modular engineering of GI ribozymes it was possible to achieve more complex editing of target RNA sequences. In this study we have developed a cooperative trans-splicing system through rational modular engineering with use of dimeric GI ribozymes derived from the Tetrahymena group I intron ribozyme. The resulting pairs of ribozymes exhibited catalytic activity depending on their selective dimerization. Rational modular redesign as performed in this study would facilitate the development of sophisticated regulation of double or multiple trans-splicing reactions in a cooperative manner.

RNA Structural Modules Control the Rate and Pathway of RNA Folding and Assembly

Structured RNAs fold through multiple pathways, but we have little understanding of the molecular features that dictate folding pathways and determine rates along a given pathway. Here, we asked whether folding of a complex RNA can be understood from its structural modules. In a two-piece version of the Tetrahymena group I ribozyme, the separated P5abc subdomain folds to local native secondary and tertiary structure in a linked transition and assembles with the ribozyme core via three tertiary contacts: a kissing loop (P14), a metal core-receptor interaction, and a tetraloop-receptor interaction, the first two of which are expected to depend on native P5abc structure from the local transition. Native gel, NMR, and chemical footprinting experiments showed that mutations that destabilize the native P5abc structure slowed assembly up to 100-fold, indicating that P5abc folds first and then assembles with the core by conformational selection. However, rate decreases beyond 100-fold were not observed because an alternative pathway becomes dominant, with nonnative P5abc binding the core and then undergoing an induced-fit rearrangement. P14 is formed in the rate-limiting step along the conformational selection pathway but after the rate-limiting step along the induced-fit pathway. Strikingly, the assembly rate along the conformational selection pathway resembles that of an isolated kissing loop similar to P14, and the rate along the induced-fit pathway resembles that of an isolated tetraloop-receptor interaction. Our results indicate substantial modularity in RNA folding and assembly and suggest that these processes can be understood in terms of underlying structural modules.

Visualizing the formation of an RNA folding intermediate through a fast highly modular secondary structure switch

Intermediates play important roles in RNA folding but can be difficult to characterize when short-lived or not significantly populated. By combining (15)N relaxation dispersion NMR with chemical probing, we visualized a fast (kex=k1+k-1≈423 s(-1)) secondary structural switch directed towards a low-populated (∼3%) partially folded intermediate in tertiary folding of the P5abc subdomain of the 'Tetrahymena' group I intron ribozyme. The secondary structure switch changes the base-pairing register across the P5c hairpin, creating a native-like structure, and occurs at rates of more than two orders of magnitude faster than tertiary folding. The switch occurs robustly in the absence of tertiary interactions, Mg(2+) or even when the hairpin is excised from the three-way junction. Fast, highly modular secondary structural switches may be quite common during RNA tertiary folding where they may help smoothen the folding landscape by allowing folding to proceed efficiently via additional pathways.

Structural Divergence of the Group I Intron Binding Surface in Fungal Mitochondrial Tyrosyl-tRNA Synthetases That Function in RNA Splicing

The mitochondrial tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases (mtTyrRSs) of Pezizomycotina fungi, a subphylum that includes many pathogenic species, are bifunctional proteins that both charge mitochondrial tRNA(Tyr) and act as splicing cofactors for autocatalytic group I introns. Previous studies showed that one of these proteins, Neurospora crassa CYT-18, binds group I introns by using both its N-terminal catalytic and C-terminal anticodon binding domains and that the catalytic domain uses a newly evolved group I intron binding surface that includes an N-terminal extension and two small insertions (insertions 1 and 2) with distinctive features not found in non-splicing mtTyrRSs. To explore how this RNA binding surface diverged to accommodate different group I introns in other Pezizomycotina fungi, we determined x-ray crystal structures of C-terminally truncated Aspergillus nidulans and Coccidioides posadasii mtTyrRSs. Comparisons with previous N. crassa CYT-18 structures and a structural model of the Aspergillus fumigatus mtTyrRS showed that the overall topology of the group I intron binding surface is conserved but with variations in key intron binding regions, particularly the Pezizomycotina-specific insertions. These insertions, which arose by expansion of flexible termini or internal loops, show greater variation in structure and amino acids potentially involved in group I intron binding than do neighboring protein core regions, which also function in intron binding but may be more constrained to preserve mtTyrRS activity. Our results suggest a structural basis for the intron specificity of different Pezizomycotina mtTyrRSs, highlight flexible terminal and loop regions as major sites for enzyme diversification, and identify targets for therapeutic intervention by disrupting an essential RNA-protein interaction in pathogenic fungi.

Crystal Structure of an RNA Duplex [r(gugcaca)dC](2) with 3'-Dinucleoside Overhangs Forming a Superhelix

Abstract Crystal structure of the RNA octamer duplex, [r(gugcaca)dC] (2), with space group I2(1)2(1)2(1) and the cell constants a=24.29, b=45.25 and c=73.68Å, has been determined and refined. The structural and packing architecture of the molecule consist of a highly bent six base paired duplex forming a right-handed superhelix stacked in tandem compared to an infinite pseudo- continuous column as is usually present in RNA crystal structures. The super helix could be formed by the head-to-head stacking (g1 over g1 and g9 over g9), the large bend and the twists at the junctions may also be responsible. The sugar-phosphate backbones of the 3'-end dinucleoside overhangs snuggly fit into the minor grooves of adjacent double helical stacks. The 3'-terminal deoxycytidines form antiparallel hemiprotonated trans (C·C)(+) pairs with symmetry related deoxycytidines, while the penultimate adenines form base triples (a*g·c) with the capping g·c base pairs of the hexamer duplex with the adenine (a7) at one end being syn and at the other anti. These triple interactions are the same as those found in the tetrahymena ribozyme and group I intron.

Fab Chaperone-Assisted RNA Crystallography (Fab CARC)

Recent discovery of structured RNAs such as ribozymes and riboswitches shows that there is still much to learn about the structure and function of RNAs. Knowledge learned can be employed in both biochemical research and clinical applications. X-ray crystallography gives unparalleled atomic-level structural detail from which functional inferences can be deduced. However, the difficulty in obtaining high-quality crystals and their phasing information make it a very challenging task. RNA crystallography is particularly arduous due to several factors such as RNA's paucity of surface chemical diversity, lability, repetitive anionic backbone, and flexibility, all of which are counterproductive to crystal packing. Here we describe Fab chaperone assisted RNA crystallography (CARC), a systematic technique to increase RNA crystallography success by facilitating crystal packing as well as expediting phase determination through molecular replacement of conserved Fab domains. Major steps described in this chapter include selection of a synthetic Fab library displayed on M13 phage against a structured RNA crystallization target, ELISA for initial choice of binding Fabs, Fab expression followed by protein A affinity then cation exchange chromatography purification, final choice of Fab by binding specificity and affinity as determined by a dot blot assay, and lastly gel filtration purification of a large quantity of chosen Fabs for crystallization.

An active site rearrangement within the Tetrahymena group I ribozyme releases nonproductive interactions and allows formation of catalytic interactions

Biological catalysis hinges on the precise structural integrity of an active site that binds and transforms its substrates and meeting this requirement presents a unique challenge for RNA enzymes. Functional RNAs, including ribozymes, fold into their active conformations within rugged energy landscapes that often contain misfolded conformers. Here we uncover and characterize one such "off-pathway" species within an active site after overall folding of the ribozyme is complete. The Tetrahymena group I ribozyme (E) catalyzes cleavage of an oligonucleotide substrate (S) by an exogenous guanosine (G) cofactor. We tested whether specific catalytic interactions with G are present in the preceding E•S•G and E•G ground-state complexes. We monitored interactions with G via the effects of 2'- and 3'-deoxy (-H) and -amino (-NH(2)) substitutions on G binding. These and prior results reveal that G is bound in an inactive configuration within E•G, with the nucleophilic 3'-OH making a nonproductive interaction with an active site metal ion termed MA and with the adjacent 2'-OH making no interaction. Upon S binding, a rearrangement occurs that allows both -OH groups to contact a different active site metal ion, termed M(C), to make what are likely to be their catalytic interactions. The reactive phosphoryl group on S promotes this change, presumably by repositioning the metal ions with respect to G. This conformational transition demonstrates local rearrangements within an otherwise folded RNA, underscoring RNA's difficulty in specifying a unique conformation and highlighting Nature's potential to use local transitions of RNA in complex function.

Exploiting post-transcriptional regulation to probe RNA structures in vivo via fluorescence

While RNA structures have been extensively characterized in vitro, very few techniques exist to probe RNA structures inside cells. Here, we have exploited mechanisms of post-transcriptional regulation to synthesize fluorescence-based probes that assay RNA structures in vivo. Our probing system involves the co-expression of two constructs: (i) a target RNA and (ii) a reporter containing a probe complementary to a region in the target RNA attached to an RBS-sequestering hairpin and fused to a sequence encoding the green fluorescent protein (GFP). When a region of the target RNA is accessible, the area can interact with its complementary probe, resulting in fluorescence. By using this system, we observed varied patterns of structural accessibility along the length of the Tetrahymena group I intron. We performed in vivo DMS footprinting which, along with previous footprinting studies, helped to explain our probing results. Additionally, this novel approach represents a valuable tool to differentiate between RNA variants and to detect structural changes caused by subtle mutations. Our results capture some differences from traditional footprinting assays that could suggest that probing in vivo via oligonucleotide hybridization facilitates the detection of folding intermediates. Importantly, our data indicate that intracellular oligonucleotide probing can be a powerful complement to existing RNA structural probing methods.

Conditional and target-specific transgene induction through RNA replacement using an allosteric trans-splicing ribozyme

Gene therapeutic approaches are needed that can simultaneously induce the well-controlled expression of therapeutic genes and suppress the expression of disease-causing genes for maximization of their efficacy. To address this challenge, we designed an allosteric ribozyme that comprises a Tetrahymena group I-based trans-splicing ribozyme as an active domain for RNA replacement, a small molecule-specific RNA aptamer as a sensor domain, and a communication module as an active transfer domain. The effectiveness of this approach was assessed by constructing various ribozymes in combination with a theophylline-binding aptamer to identify an allosteric ribozyme, which is controlled by theophylline both in vitro and in cells. Moreover, we constructed adenoviral vectors encoding the ribozymes and validated allosteric regulation of trans-gene expression via theophylline-dependent RNA replacement in target RNA-expressing cells. Results demonstrate that an allosteric trans-splicing ribozyme is an applicable RNA-based framework for engineering external ligand-controlled gene expression regulatory systems that exhibit adjustable regulation, design modularity, and target specificity.

RNA tertiary structure analysis by 2'-hydroxyl molecular interference

We introduce a melded chemical and computational approach for probing and modeling higher-order intramolecular tertiary interactions in RNA. 2'-Hydroxyl molecular interference (HMX) identifies nucleotides in highly packed regions of an RNA by exploiting the ability of bulky adducts at the 2'-hydroxyl position to disrupt overall RNA structure. HMX was found to be exceptionally selective for quantitative detection of higher-order and tertiary interactions. When incorporated as experimental constraints in discrete molecular dynamics simulations, HMX information yielded accurate three-dimensional models, emphasizing the power of molecular interference to guide RNA tertiary structure analysis and fold refinement. In the case of a large, multidomain RNA, the Tetrahymena group I intron, HMX identified multiple distinct sets of tertiary structure interaction groups in a single, concise experiment.

Biophysical highlights from 54 years of macromolecular crystallography

The United Nations has declared 2014 the International Year of Crystallography, and in commemoration, this review features a selection of 54 notable macromolecular crystal structures that have illuminated the field of biophysics in the 54 years since the first excitement of the myoglobin and hemoglobin structures in 1960. Chronological by publication of the earliest solved structure, each illustrated entry briefly describes key concepts or methods new at the time and key later work leveraged by knowledge of the three-dimensional atomic structure.

DEAD-box protein CYT-19 is activated by exposed helices in a group I intron RNA

DEAD-box proteins are nonprocessive RNA helicases and can function as RNA chaperones, but the mechanisms of their chaperone activity remain incompletely understood. The Neurospora crassa DEAD-box protein CYT-19 is a mitochondrial RNA chaperone that promotes group I intron splicing and has been shown to resolve misfolded group I intron structures, allowing them to refold. Building on previous results, here we use a series of tertiary contact mutants of the Tetrahymena group I intron ribozyme to demonstrate that the efficiency of CYT-19-mediated unfolding of the ribozyme is tightly linked to global RNA tertiary stability. Efficient unfolding of destabilized ribozyme variants is accompanied by increased ATPase activity of CYT-19, suggesting that destabilized ribozymes provide more productive interaction opportunities. The strongest ATPase stimulation occurs with a ribozyme that lacks all five tertiary contacts and does not form a compact structure, and small-angle X-ray scattering indicates that ATPase activity tracks with ribozyme compactness. Further, deletion of three helices that are prominently exposed in the folded structure decreases the ATPase stimulation by the folded ribozyme. Together, these results lead to a model in which CYT-19, and likely related DEAD-box proteins, rearranges complex RNA structures by preferentially interacting with and unwinding exposed RNA secondary structure. Importantly, this mechanism could bias DEAD-box proteins to act on misfolded RNAs and ribonucleoproteins, which are likely to be less compact and more dynamic than their native counterparts.

The noncoding RNA revolution-trashing old rules to forge new ones

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) accomplish a remarkable variety of biological functions. They regulate gene expression at the levels of transcription, RNA processing, and translation. They protect genomes from foreign nucleic acids. They can guide DNA synthesis or genome rearrangement. For ribozymes and riboswitches, the RNA structure itself provides the biological function, but most ncRNAs operate as RNA-protein complexes, including ribosomes, snRNPs, snoRNPs, telomerase, microRNAs, and long ncRNAs. Many, though not all, ncRNAs exploit the power of base pairing to selectively bind and act on other nucleic acids. Here, we describe the pathway of ncRNA research, where every established "rule" seems destined to be overturned.

Roles of long-range tertiary interactions in limiting dynamics of the Tetrahymena group I ribozyme

We determined the effects of mutating the long-range tertiary contacts of the Tetrahymena group I ribozyme on the dynamics of its substrate helix (referred to as P1) and on catalytic activity. Dynamics were assayed by fluorescence anisotropy of the fluorescent base analogue, 6-methyl isoxanthopterin, incorporated into the P1 helix, and fluorescence anisotropy and catalytic activity were measured for wild type and mutant ribozymes over a range of conditions. Remarkably, catalytic activity correlated with P1 anisotropy over 5 orders of magnitude of activity, with a correlation coefficient of 0.94. The functional and dynamic effects from simultaneous mutation of the two long-range contacts that weaken P1 docking are cumulative and, based on this RNA's topology, suggest distinct underlying origins for the mutant effects. Tests of mechanistic predictions via single molecule FRET measurements of rate constants for P1 docking and undocking suggest that ablation of the P14 tertiary interaction frees P2 and thereby enhances the conformational space explored by the undocked attached P1 helix. In contrast, mutation of the metal core tertiary interaction disrupts the conserved core into which the P1 helix docks. Thus, despite following a single correlation, the two long-range tertiary contacts facilitate P1 helix docking by distinct mechanisms. These results also demonstrate that a fluorescence anisotropy probe incorporated into a specific helix within a larger RNA can report on changes in local helical motions as well as differences in more global dynamics. This ability will help uncover the physical properties and behaviors that underlie the function of RNAs and RNA/protein complexes.

Steroid receptor RNA activator (SRA) modification by the human pseudouridine synthase 1 (hPus1p): RNA binding, activity, and atomic model

The most abundant of the modified nucleosides, and once considered as the “fifth” nucleotide in RNA, is pseudouridine, which results from the action of pseudouridine synthases. Recently, the mammalian pseudouridine synthase 1 (hPus1p) has been reported to modulate class I and class II nuclear receptor responses through its ability to modify the Steroid receptor RNA Activator (SRA). These findings highlight a new level of regulation in nuclear receptor (NR)-mediated transcriptional responses. We have characterised the RNA association and activity of the human Pus1p enzyme with its unusual SRA substrate. We validate that the minimal RNA fragment within SRA, named H7, is necessary for both the association and modification by hPus1p. Furthermore, we have determined the crystal structure of the catalytic domain of hPus1p at 2.0 Å resolution, alone and in a complex with several molecules present during crystallisation. This model shows an extended C-terminal helix specifically found in the eukaryotic protein, which may prevent the enzyme from forming a homodimer, both in the crystal lattice and in solution. Our biochemical and structural data help to understand the hPus1p active site architecture, and detail its particular requirements with regard to one of its nuclear substrates, the non-coding RNA SRA.

RNA synthesis and purification for structural studies

RNAs play pivotal roles in the cell, ranging from catalysis (e.g., RNase P), acting as adaptor molecule (tRNA) to regulation (e.g., riboswitches). Precise understanding of its three-dimensional structures has given unprecedented insight into the molecular basis for all of these processes. Nevertheless, structural studies on RNA are still limited by the very special nature of this polymer. The most common methods for the determination of 3D RNA structures are NMR and X-ray crystallography. Both methods have their own set of requirements and give different amounts of information about the target RNA. For structural studies, the major bottleneck is usually obtaining large amounts of highly pure and homogeneously folded RNA. Especially for X-ray crystallography it can be necessary to screen a large number of variants to obtain well-ordered single crystals. In this mini-review we give an overview about strategies for the design, in vitro production, and purification of RNA for structural studies.

The long-range P3 helix of the Tetrahymena ribozyme is disrupted during folding between the native and misfolded conformations

RNAs are prone to misfolding, but how misfolded structures are formed and resolved remains incompletely understood. The Tetrahymena group I intron ribozyme folds in vitro to a long-lived misfolded conformation (M) that includes extensive native structure but is proposed to differ in topology from the native state (N). A leading model predicts that exchange of the topologies requires unwinding of the long-range, core helix P3, despite the presence of P3 in both conformations. To test this model, we constructed 16 mutations to strengthen or weaken P3. Catalytic activity and in-line probing showed that nearly all of the mutants form the M state before folding to N. The P3-weakening mutations accelerated refolding from M (3- to 30-fold) and the P3-strengthening mutations slowed refolding (6- to 1400-fold), suggesting that P3 indeed unwinds transiently. Upon depletion of Mg(2+), the mutations had analogous effects on unfolding from N to intermediates that subsequently fold to M. The magnitudes for the P3-weakening mutations were larger than in refolding from M, and small-angle X-ray scattering showed that the ribozyme expands rapidly to intermediates from which P3 is disrupted subsequently. These results are consistent with previous results indicating unfolding of native peripheral structure during refolding from M, which probably permits rearrangement of the core. Together, our results demonstrate that exchange of the native and misfolded conformations requires loss of a core helix in addition to peripheral structure. Further, the results strongly suggest that misfolding arises from a topological error within the ribozyme core, and a specific topology is proposed.

Toward a molecular understanding of RNA remodeling by DEAD-box proteins

DEAD-box proteins are superfamily 2 helicases that function in all aspects of RNA metabolism. They employ ATP binding and hydrolysis to generate tight, yet regulated RNA binding, which is used to unwind short RNA helices non-processively and promote structural transitions of RNA and RNA-protein substrates. In the last few years, substantial progress has been made toward a detailed, quantitative understanding of the structural and biochemical properties of DEAD-box proteins. Concurrently, progress has been made toward a physical understanding of the RNA rearrangements and folding steps that are accelerated by DEAD-box proteins in model systems. Here, we review the recent progress on both of these fronts, focusing on the mitochondrial DEAD-box proteins Mss116 and CYT-19 and their mechanisms in promoting the splicing of group I and group II introns.

The right angle (RA) motif: a prevalent ribosomal RNA structural pattern found in group I introns

The right angle (RA) motif, previously identified in the ribosome and used as a structural module for nano-construction, is a recurrent structural motif of 13 nucleotides that establishes a 90° bend between two adjacent helices. Comparative sequence analysis was used to explore the sequence space of the RA motif within ribosomal RNAs in order to define its canonical sequence space signature. We investigated the sequence constraints associated with the RA signature using several artificial self-assembly systems. Thermodynamic and topological investigations of sequence variants associated with the RA motif in both minimal and expanded structural contexts reveal that the presence of a helix at the 3' end of the RA motif increases the thermodynamic stability and rigidity of the resulting three-helix junction domain. A search for the RA in naturally occurring RNAs as well as its experimental characterization led to the identification of the RA in groups IC1 and ID intron ribozymes, where it is suggested to play an integral role in stabilizing peripheral structural domains. The present study exemplifies the need of empirical analysis of RNA structural motifs for facilitating the rational design and structure prediction of RNAs.

A two-piece derivative of a group I intron RNA as a platform for designing self-assembling RNA templates to promote Peptide ligation

Multicomponent RNA-peptide complexes are attractive from the viewpoint of artificial design of functional biomacromolecular systems. We have developed self-folding and self-assembling RNAs that serve as templates to assist chemical ligation between two reactive peptides with RNA-binding capabilities. The design principle of previous templates, however, can be applied only to limited classes of RNA-binding peptides. In this study, we employed a two-piece derivative of a group I intron RNA from the Tetrahymena large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU rRNA) as a platform for new template RNAs. In this group I intron-based self-assembling platform, modules for the recognition of substrate peptides can be installed independently from modules holding the platform structure. The new self-assembling platform allows us to expand the repertoire of substrate peptides in template RNA design.

Cordyceps militaris (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae): transcriptional analysis and molecular characterization of cox1 and group I intron with putative LAGLIDADG endonuclease

The full-length cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (cox1) containing a group I intron was isolated from an important medical fungus Cordyceps militaris (Cordycipitaceae). The open reading frame (ORF) of 1,593 nucleotides encoded a predicted protein COX1 of 530 amino acids. The group I intron encoded a putative homing endonuclease (HE) with two LAGLIDADG motifs. RT-PCR and Northern analysis showed a mature transcript of spliced cox1. Both 5'exon-intron and intron-3'exon junctions were also found by RT-PCR, suggesting the possible presence of unspliced cox1 RNA in total RNA. Sequence comparison by BLASTn showed that the coding region of cox1 (CRcox1) of C. militaris had significant similarities to those of related species (such as Cordyceps bassiana and C. brongniartii), while the intron had no significant homologous sequences of Cordycipitaceae fungi in NCBI database. The phylogenetic tree based on the CRcox1 confirmed the present taxonomic status of related species, but the cox1 introns were phylogenetically distinct. Compared to C. bassiana and C. brongniartii, the cox1 intron of C. militaris exhibited specific splicing site and different intronic ORF. The analysis of the folding RNA structures of the known cox1 introns from Cordyceps species showed different base pairs and conserved regions (P1-P10) in their structures. The present results provide useful information on the studies of cox1 intron splicing and Cordyceps evolution.

Enhanced specificity against misfolding in a thermostable mutant of the Tetrahymena ribozyme

Structured RNAs encode native conformations that are more stable than the vast ensembles of alternative conformations, but how this specificity is evolved is incompletely understood. Here we show that a variant of the Tetrahymena group I intron ribozyme that was generated previously by in vitro selection for enhanced thermostability also displays modestly enhanced specificity against a stable misfolded structure that is globally similar to the native state, despite the absence of selective pressure to increase the energy gap between these structures. The enhanced specificity for native folding arises from mutations in two nucleotides that are close together in space in the native structure, and additional experiments show that these two mutations do not affect the stability of the misfolded conformation relative to the largely unstructured transition state ensemble for interconversion between the native and misfolded conformers. Thus, they selectively stabilize the native state, presumably by strengthening a local tertiary contact network that cannot form in the misfolded conformation. The stabilization is larger in the presence of the peripheral element P5abc, suggesting that cooperative tertiary structure formation plays a key role in the enhanced stability. The increased specificity in the absence of explicit selection suggests that the large energy gap in the wild-type RNA may have arisen analogously, a consequence of selective pressure for stability of the functional structure. More generally, the structural rigidity and intricate networks of contacts in structured RNAs may allow them to evolve substantial structural specificity without explicit negative selection, even against closely related alternative structures.

A folding "framework structure" of Tetrahymena group I intron

We have published the dynamic extended folding (DEF) method, which is a RNA secondary structure prediction approach-to simulate the in vivo RNA co-transcriptional folding process. In order to verify the reliability of the method, we selected the X-ray-determined Tetrahymena group I intron as a sample to construct the framework of its folding secondary structure. Our prediction coincides well with the secondary structure predicted by T.R. Cech and the X-ray diffraction crystal structure determined by Lehnert V. Our results show that the DEF framework structure of Tetrahymena group I intron reflects its function sites in a concise and straightforward manner, and the scope of the simulation was expanded.