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An extended Escherichia coli "selenocysteine insertion sequence" (SECIS) as a multifunctional RNA structure.

The genetic code, once thought to be rigid, has been found to permit several alternatives in its reading. Interesting alternative relates to the function of the UGA codon. Usually, it acts as a stop codon, but it can also direct the incorporation of the amino acid selenocysteine into a polypeptide. UGA-directed selenocysteine incorporation requires a cis-acting mRNA element called the "selenocysteine insertion sequence" (SECIS) that can form a stem-loop RNA structure. Here we discuss our investigation on the E. coli SECIS. This includes the follows: 1) The nature of the minimal E. coli SECIS. We found that in E. coli only the upper-stem and loop of 17 nucleotides of the SECIS is necessary for selenocysteine incorporation on the condition that it is located in the proper distance from the UGA [34]; 2) The upper stem and loop structure carries a bulged U residue that is required for selenocysteine incorporation [34] because of its interaction with SelB; and 3) We described an extended fdhF SECIS that includes the information for an additional function: The prevention of UGA readthrough under conditions of selenium deficiency [35]. This information is contained in a short mRNA region consisting of a single C residue adjacent to the UGA on its downstream side, and an additional segment consisting of the six nucleotides immediately upstream from it. These two regions act independently and additively and probably through different mechanisms. The single C residue acts as itself; the upstream region acts at the level of the two amino acids, arginine and valine, for which it codes. These two codons at the 5' side of the UGA correspond to the ribosomal E and P sites. Finally, we present a model for the E. coli fdhF SECIS as a multifunctional RNA structure containing three functional elements. Depending on the availability of selenium the SECIS enables one of two alternatives for the translational machinery: Either selenocysteine incorporation into a polypeptide or termination of the polypeptide chain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein: RNA structure analysis and ATP-dependent interaction with U4/U6.

To understand how the U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) interacts with other spliceosome components, its structure and binding to the U4/U6 snRNP were analyzed. The interaction of the U5 snRNP with the U4/U6 snRNP was studied by separating the snRNPs in HeLa cell nuclear extracts on glycerol gradients. A complex running at 25S and containing U4, U5, and U6 but not U1 or U2 snRNAs was identified. In contrast to results with native gel electrophoresis to separate snRNPs, this U4/U5/U6 snRNP complex requires ATP to assemble from the individual snRNPs. The structure of the U5 RNA within the U5 snRNP and the U4/5/6 snRNP complexes was then compared. Oligonucleotide-targeted RNase H digestion identified one RNA sequence in the U5 snRNP capable of base pairing to other nucleic acid sequences. Chemical modification experiments identified this sequence as well as two other U5 RNA sequences as accessible to modification within the U5 RNP. One of these regions is a large loop in the U5 RNA secondary structure whose sequence is conserved from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to humans. Interestingly, no differences in modification of free U5 snRNP as compared to U5 in the U4/U5/U6 snRNP complex were observed, suggesting that recognition of specific RNA sequences in the U5 snRNP is not required for U4/U5/U6 snRNP assembly.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

RNA structural requirements for the association of the spliceosomal hPrp31 protein with the U4 and U4atac small nuclear ribonucleoproteins.

The kink-turn, a stem I-internal loop-stem II structure of the 5 ' stem-loop of U4 and U4atac small nuclear (sn) RNAs bound by 15.5K protein is required for binding of human Prp31 protein (hPrp31) during U4 and U4atac snRNP assembly. In box C/D snoRNPs a similar kink-turn with bound 15.5K protein is required for selective binding of proteins NOP56 and NOP58. Here we analyzed RNA structural requirements for association of hPrp31 with U4 snRNP in vitro by hydroxyl radical footprinting. hPrp31 induced protection of the terminal penta-loop, as well as of stems I and II flanking the kink-turn. Similar protection was found with U4/U6 snRNA duplex prebound with 15.5K protein. A detailed mutational analysis of the U4 snRNA elements by electrophoretic mobility shift analysis revealed that stem I could not be shortened, although it tolerated sequence alterations. However, introduction of a third Watson-Crick base pair into stem II significantly reduced hPrp31 binding. While stem I of U4atac snRNA showed relaxed binding requirements, its stem II requirements were likewise restricted to two base pairs. In contrast, as shown previously, stem II of the kink-turn motif in box C/D snoRNAs is comprised of three base pairs, and NOP56 and NOP58 require a G-C pair at the central position. This indicates that hPrp31 binding specificity is achieved by the recognition of the two base pair long stem II of the U4 and U4atac snRNAs and suggests how discrimination is achieved by RNA structural elements during assembly of U4/U6 and U4atac/U6atac snRNPs and box C/D snoRNPs.

Eye Proteins↗

Precursor RNA structural patterns at SF3B1 mutation sensitive cryptic 3' splice sites.

SF3B1 is a core component of the spliceosome involved in branch point recognition and 3' splice site selection. The SF3B1 K700E mutation (lysine to glutamic acid) is common in myelodysplastic syndrome and other blood disorders. SF3B1 K700E mutants utilize novel cryptic 3' splice sites; however, the properties distinguishing SF3B1-sensitive splice junctions from other alternatively spliced junctions are unknown. We identify a subset of 192 cryptic 3' splice junctions with significantly altered use in SF3B1 K700E cells, termed SF3B1-sensitive cryptic 3' splice sites, and 2800 cryptic 3' splice sites used in SF3B1 wild-type, termed SF3B1-resistant. We find that SF3B1-sensitive cryptic 3' splice sites are embedded in extended polypyrimidine tracts. Furthermore, canonical splice sites paired to SF3B1-sensitive cryptic 3' splice sites are significantly weaker than canonical 3' splice sites paired to SF3B1-resistant cryptic 3' splice sites. We test whether SF3B1-sensitive splice sites are structurally different from SF3B1-resistant 3' splice sites using chemical probing. We develop experimental RNA structure data for 83 SF3B1-sensitive junctions and 39 SF3B1-resistant junctions. We find that the pattern of structural accessibility at the NAG splicing motif in cryptic and canonical 3' splice sites is similar. However, the magnitude of accessibility differences is less in paired SF3B1-sensitive splice sites than in paired SF3B1-mutant splice sites. Additionally, SF3B1-sensitive splice junctions are more flexible than SF3B1-resistant junctions. Our results suggest that SF3B1-sensitive splice junctions have unique structure and sequence properties, containing poorly differentiated, weak splice sites that lead to altered 3' splice site recognition in the presence of SF3B1 mutation.

RNA Splicing Factors↗

Semi-automated update and cleanup of structural RNA alignment databases.

UNLABELLED: We have developed a series of programs which assist in maintenance of structural RNA databases. A main program BLASTs the RNA database against GenBank and automatically extends and realigns the sequences to include the entire range of the RNA query sequences. After manual update of the database, other programs can examine base pair consistency and phylogenetic support. The output can be applied iteratively to refine the structural alignment of the RNA database. Using these tools, the number of potential misannotations per sequence was reduced from 20 to 3 in the Signal Recognition Particle RNA database. AVAILABILITY: A quick-server and programs are available at http://www.bioinf.au.dk/rnadbtool/

Base Sequence↗

An RNA structure involved in feedback regulation of splicing and of translation is critical for biological fitness.

While studies of the regulation of gene expression have generally concerned qualitative changes in the selection or the level of expression of a gene, much of the regulation that occurs within a cell involves the continuous subtle optimization of the levels of proteins used in macromolecular complexes. An example is the biosynthesis of the ribosome, in which equimolar amounts of nearly 80 ribosomal proteins must be supplied by the cytoplasm to the nucleolus. We have found that the transcript of one of the ribosomal protein genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, RPL32, participates in such fine tuning. Sequences from exon I of the RPL32 transcript interact with nucleotides from the intron to form a structure that binds L32 to regulate splicing. In the spliced transcript, the same sequences interact with nucleotides from exon II to form a structure that binds L32 to regulate translation, thus providing two levels of autoregulation. We now show, by using a sensitive cocultivation assay, that these RNA structures and their interaction with L32 play a role in the fitness of the cell. The change of a single nucleotide within the 5' leader of the RPL32 transcript, which abolishes the site for L32 binding, leads to detectably slower growth and to eventual loss of the mutant strain from the culture. Experiments designed to assess independently the regulation of splicing and the regulation of translation are presented. These observations demonstrate that, in evolutionary terms, subtle regulatory compensations can be critical. The change in structure of an RNA, due to alteration of just one noncoding nucleotide, can spell the difference between biological success and failure.

Base Sequence↗

Phylogenetic comparative analysis of RNA structure on Macintosh computers.

A Macintosh Hypertalk program (Hypercard 'stack') for use in phylogenetic comparative analysis of RNA structure is described. The program identifies covariations and compensatory changes in RNA sequence alignments, for use in the construction of secondary structure models or the identification of tertiary interactions. The results of an analysis are presented either as a list of positions in the alignment which covary, or as a 2-dimensional matrix in which potential helices in the secondary structure appear as diagonal patterns.

Microcomputers↗

NCIR: a database of non-canonical interactions in known RNA structures.

The secondary and tertiary structure of an RNA molecule typically includes a number of non-canonical base-base interactions. The known occurrences of these interactions are tabulated in the NCIR database, which can be accessed from http://prion.bchs.uh.edu/bp_type/. The number of examples is now over 1400, which is an increase of >700% since the database was first published. This dramatic increase reflects the addition of data from the recently published crystal structures of the 50S (2.4 A) and 30S (3.0 A) ribosomal subunits. In addition, non-canonical interactions observed in published crystal and NMR structures of tRNAs, group I introns, ribozymes, RNA aptamers and synthetic oligonucleotides are included. Properties associated with these interactions, such as sequence context, sugar pucker conformation, glycosidic angle conformation, melting temperature, chemical shift and free energy, are also reported when available. Out of the 29 anticipated pairs with at least two hydrogen bonds, 28 have been observed to date. In addition, several novel examples, not generally predicted, have also been encountered, bringing the total of such pairs to 36. Added to this list are a variety of single, bifurcated, triple and quadruple interactions. The most common non-canonical pairs are the sheared GA, GA imino, AU reverse Hoogsteen, and the GU and AC wobble pairs. The most frequent triple interaction connects N3 of an A with the amino of a G that is also involved in a standard Watson-Crick pair.

Animals↗

Pair stochastic tree adjoining grammars for aligning and predicting pseudoknot RNA structures.

MOTIVATION: Since the whole genome sequences for many species are currently available, computational predictions of RNA secondary structures and computational identifications of those non-coding RNA regions by comparative genomics become important, and require more advanced alignment methods. Recently, an approach of structural alignments for RNA sequences has been introduced to solve these problems. By structural alignments, we mean a pairwise alignment to align an unfolded RNA sequence into a folded RNA sequence of known secondary structure. Pair HMMs on tree structures (PHMMTSs) proposed by Sakakibara are efficient automata-theoretic models for structural alignments of RNA secondary structures, but are incapable of handling pseudoknots. On the other hand, tree adjoining grammars (TAGs) is a subclass of context-sensitive grammar, which is suitable for modeling pseudoknots. Our goal is to extend PHMMTSs by incorporating TAGs to be able to handle pseudoknots. RESULTS: We propose the pair stochastic tree adjoining grammars (PSTAGs) for modeling RNA secondary structures including pseudoknots and show the strong experimental evidences that modeling pseudoknot structures significantly improves the prediction accuracies of RNA secondary structures. First, we extend the notion of PHMMTSs defined on alignments of 'trees' to PSTAGs defined on alignments of "TAG (derivation) trees", which represent a top-down parsing process of TAGs and are functionally equivalent to derived trees of TAGs. Second, we modify PSTAGs so that it takes as input a pair of a linear sequence and a TAG tree representing a pseudoknot structure of RNA to produce a structural alignment. Then, we develop a polynomial-time algorithm for obtaining an optimal structural alignment by PSTAGs, based on dynamic programming parser. We have done several computational experiments for predicting pseudoknots by PSTAGs, and our computational experiments suggests that prediction of RNA pseudoknot structures by our method are more efficient and biologically plausible than by other conventional methods. The binary code for PSTAG method is freely available from our website at http://www.dna.bio.keio.ac.jp/pstag/.

Algorithms↗

RNA structure: reading the ribosome.

The crystal structures of the ribosome and its subunits have increased the amount of information about RNA structure by about two orders of magnitude. This is leading to an understanding of the principles of RNA folding and of the molecular interactions that underlie the functional capabilities of the ribosome and other RNA systems. Nearly all of the possible types of RNA tertiary interactions have been found in ribosomal RNA. One of these, an abundant tertiary structural motif called the A-minor interaction, has been shown to participate in both aminoacyl-transfer RNA selection and in peptidyl transferase; it may also play an important role in the structural dynamics of the ribosome.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗

Theoretical design of antisense RNA structures substantially improves annealing kinetics and efficacy in human cells.

The success of antisense therapeutics is not predictable despite their widespread use in biotechnology and molecular medicine. The relationship between RNA structure and biological effectiveness is largely not understood; however, antisense RNA-mediated effects in vivo seem to be related to annealing kinetics in vitro. This study suggests that terminal unpaired nucleotides and overall flexibility of antisense RNA directed against the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are related to fast RNA-RNA annealing in vitro as well as to strong inhibition of virus replication in human cells. Annealing rate constants of computer-selected antisense RNA species approach the values for natural antisense RNA in the order of 10(6) M-1s-1. When considering the unfavorable stability in cellular extracts of antisense RNA species that were found to anneal fast in vitro, an antisense effect against HIV-1 in human cells was observed that was 10- to 10,000-fold stronger than that measured for species predicted to anneal slowly. A computer-supported structural design of antisense RNA can serve as a platform to determine RNA-RNA association in vitro and biological effectiveness in living cells.

Animals↗

Polyadenylation promotes degradation of 3'-structured RNA by the Escherichia coli mRNA degradosome in vitro.

Polyadenylation contributes to the destabilization of bacterial mRNA. We have investigated the role of polyadenylation in the degradation of RNA by the purified Escherichia coli degradosome in vitro. RNA molecules with 3'-ends incorporated into a stable stem-loop structure could not readily be degraded by purified polynucleotide phosphorylase or by the degradosome, even though the degradosome contains active RhlB helicase which normally facilitates degradation of structured RNA. The exoribonucleolytic activity of the degradosome was due to polynucleotide phosphorylase, rather than the recently reported exonucleolytic activity exhibited by a purified fragment of RNase E (Huang, H., Liao, J., and Cohen, S. N. (1998) Nature 391, 99-102). Addition of a 3'-poly(A) tail stimulated degradation by the degradosome. As few as 5 adenosine residues were sufficient to achieve this stimulation, and generic sequences were equally effective. The data show that the degradosome requires a single-stranded "toehold" 3' to a secondary structure to recognize and degrade the RNA molecule efficiently; polyadenylation can provide this single-stranded 3'-end. Significantly, oligo(G) and oligo(U) tails were unable to stimulate degradation; for oligo(G), at least, this is probably due to the formation of a G quartet structure which makes the 3'-end inaccessible. The inaccessibility of 3'-oligo(U) sequences is likely to have a role in stabilization of RNA molecules generated by Rho-independent terminators.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

How to search for RNA structures. Theoretical concepts in evolutionary biotechnology.

The relation between RNA sequences and minimum free energy secondary structures is viewed as a mapping from sequence space into shape space. The properties of such mappings depend strongly on the ratios of the numbers of sequences and structures and, hence, substantial differences are observed between samples of structures derived from AUGC, pure AU or pure GC sequences. Statistical analysis of large samples is used to demonstrate that structures from AUGC sequences are much less sensitive to point mutations than those from sequences containing exclusively AU or GC. The frequency with which a structure is realized in sequence space is inversely proportional to some power c > 1 of the structure's frequency rank, thus following a (generalized) Zipf law. For long sequences the exponent approaches c = 1. An inverse folding algorithm is used to compute samples of sequences folding into the same secondary structure. These sequences are distributed randomly in sequence space. Common structures form extended neutral networks along which populations can migrate through the entire sequence space without changing structure. In this migration, moves of Hamming distance d = 1 and d = 2 are accepted in order to allow for base and base pair exchanges, respectively. Around any arbitrarily chosen sequence a ball that contains sequences folding into all common structures can be drawn. This ball has a diameter that is much smaller than the diameter of sequence space. Hence, only a small fraction of sequence space needs to be searched in order to find a given structure. The results derived from the mapping of sequences into structures are used to suggest a rationale for evolutionary searches on RNA structures: selection cycles with high and low mutation rates applied in alternation. Generalizations of the results to RNA 3-D structures and protein structures are discussed.

Algorithms↗

[Bacterial cis-regulatory RNA structures].

The review considers mechanism of bacterial gene expression based on formation of alternative RNA structures, such as riboswitches, attenuators, T-boxes, etc. These structures are classified by mechanism of action. Evolution and interaction of regulatory systems are discussed.

Aptamers, Nucleotide↗

Pair stochastic tree adjoining grammars for aligning and predicting pseudoknot RNA structures.

MOTIVATION: Since the whole genome sequences of many species have been determined, computational prediction of RNA secondary structures and computational identification of those non-coding RNA regions by comparative genomics become important. Therefore, more advanced alignment methods are required. Recently, an approach of structural alignment for RNA sequences has been introduced to solve these problems. Pair hidden Markov models on tree structures (PHMMTSs) proposed by Sakakibara are efficient automata-theoretic models for structural alignment of RNA secondary structures, although PHMMTSs are incapable of handling pseudoknots. On the other hand, tree adjoining grammars (TAGs), a subclass of context-sensitive grammars, are suitable for modeling pseudoknots. Our goal is to extend PHMMTSs by incorporating TAGs to be able to handle pseudoknots. RESULTS: We propose pair stochastic TAGs (PSTAGs) for aligning and predicting RNA secondary structures including a simple type of pseudoknot which can represent most known pseudoknot structures. First, we extend PHMMTSs defined on alignment of 'trees' to PSTAGs defined on alignment of 'TAG trees' which represent derivation processes of TAGs and are functionally equivalent to derived trees of TAGs. Then, we develop an efficient dynamic programming algorithm of PSTAGs for obtaining an optimal structural alignment including pseudoknots. We implement the PSTAG algorithm and demonstrate the properties of the algorithm by using it to align and predict several small pseudoknot structures. We believe that our implemented program based on PSTAGs is the first grammar-based and practically executable software for comparative analyses of RNA pseudoknot structures, and, further, non-coding RNAs.

Algorithms↗

Formation of metastable RNA structures by sequential folding during transcription: time-resolved structural analysis of potato spindle tuber viroid (-)-stranded RNA by temperature-gradient gel electrophoresis.

A model of functional elements critical for replication and infectivity of the potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) was proposed earlier: a thermodynamically metastable structure containing a specific hairpin (HP II) in the (-)-strand replication intermediate is essential for template activity during (+)-strand synthesis. We present here a detailed kinetic analysis on how PSTVd (-)-strands fold during synthesis by sequential folding into a variety of metastable structures that rearrange only slowly into the structure distribution of the thermodynamic equilibrium. Synthesis of PSTVd (-)-strands was performed by T7-RNA-polymerase; the rate of synthesis was varied by altering the concentration of nucleoside triphosphates to mimic the in vivo synthesis rate of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II. With dependence on rate and duration of the synthesis, the structure distributions were analyzed by temperature-gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE). Metastable structures are generated preferentially at low transcription rates--similar to in vivo rates--or at short transcription times at higher rates. Higher transcription rates or longer transcription times lead to metastable structures in low or undetectable amounts. Instead different structures do gradually appear having a more rod-like shape and higher thermodynamic stability, and the thermodynamically optimal rod-like structure dominates finally. It is concluded that viroids are able to use metastable as well as stable structures for their biological functions.

DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases↗

Grass evolution inferred from chromosomal rearrangements and geometrical and statistical features in RNA structure.

The grasses (Poaceae) represent a monophyletic lineage that arose about 70 million years ago. The lineage contains about 10,000 species that differ widely in morphology and physiology. Species show striking differences in genome size, a feature important in the context of conservation of gene content and order (synteny and colinearity) and in the extension of genomic information directly from one grass species to another using comparative approaches. Grass diversification has been a contentious issue, as the exact branching order of the various subfamilies has been difficult to establish with standard methods. This motivated an evolutionary study of deep phylogenetic relationships based on the structure of coding and non-coding RNA molecules and on chromosomal rearrangements. Phylogenetic relationships in the grass family were inferred directly from the structure of RNA using cladistic principles and considerations in statistical mechanics. Coded attributes describing topological and thermodynamic information embedded in RNA molecules were treated as linearly ordered multi-state characters and were polarized by fixing the direction of character transformation toward molecular order. Intrinsically rooted phylogenies derived from the structure of signal recognition particle (SRP) RNA, the mRNA encoded by the early nodulation gene enod40, the small subunit of ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and the internal transcribed spacer ITS1 of rRNA established an order for the diversification of major grass lineages, suggesting a sister relationship of the Pooideae and the PACCAD clade. This same conclusion was reached when large-scale chromosomal rearrangements derived from the comparative genetic mapping of cereal genomes were studied. Chromosomal complements aligned in the most parsimonious manner allowed identification and coding of characters depicting chromosomal translocations, insertions, and linkage block arrangements and the reconstruction of phylogenetic trees based on large-scale chromosomal structure. Congruent reconstruction of deep branching relationships using geometrical and statistical features of RNA structure and orthology and large scale chromosomal recombination events support assumptions of polarization in character argumentation, and fail to falsify the claim that extant grass chromosomes can be considered combinations of linkage blocks of an ancestor of the rice genome. Congruence also suggests that the universal tendency toward order in RNA and the search for the most parsimonious organization of be genome architecture appear to be mutually supported drivers of molecular evolution. The study clarifies the relationship of major clades in the grasses, shows that phylogenetic history can be reconstructed effectively from the combinatorial exchange of chromosomal linkage blocks, and reveals considerable phylogenetic signal embedded in the structure of signal polypeptide-coding mRNA molecules, describing an instance where mRNA structure is the subject of strong evolutionary constraint.

Base Pairing↗

Involvement of "hinge" nucleotides of Xenopus laevis 5 S rRNA in the RNA structural organization and in the binding of transcription factor TFIIIA.

Nucleotides in the bifurcation region of the 5 S rRNA, the junction of the three helical domains, play a central role in determining the coaxial stacking interactions and tertiary structure of the RNA. We have used site-directed mutagenesis of Xenopus laevis oocyte 5 S rRNA to make all possible nucleotide substitutions at three positions in loop A (10, 11 and 13) and at the G66.U109 base-pair at the beginning of helix V. Certain double point mutations were constructed to ascertain the relationship between loop A nucleotides and the G.U base-pair. The importance of the size of the bifurcation region was tested by the creation of a single nucleotide deletion mutant and two single nucleotide insertion mutants. The effects of these mutations on the structure and function of the 5 S rRNA were determined by solution structure probing of approximately half of the mutants with chemical reagents, and by measuring the relative binding affinity of each mutant for transcription factor TFIIIA. Proposed structural rearrangements in the bifurcation region were tested by using a graphic modeling method combining stereochemical constraints and chemical reactivity data. From this work, several insights were obtained into the general problem of helix stacking and RNA folding at complex bifurcation regions. None of the mutations caused an alteration of the coaxial stacking of helix V on helix II proposed for the wild-type 5 S rRNA. However, the formation of a Watson-Crick pair between nucleotide 13 of loop A and nucleotide 66 at the top of helix V does cause a destabilization of the proximal part of this helix. Also, nucleotide 109 at the top of helix V will preferentially pair with nucleotide 10 of loop A rather than nucleotide 66 when both possibilities are provided, without affecting the stability of helix V, even though the G.U pair is disrupted. The effects of these mutations on TFIIIA binding indicate that the bifurcation region is critical for protein recognition. One important feature of the relationship between 5 S rRNA structure and TFIIIA recognition resulting from this study was the observation that any mutation that constrains the bifurcation loop results in a reduced affinity of the RNA for TFIIIA, unless it is compensated for by an increased flexibility elsewhere.

Animals↗