Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Poly(A) Tail Recognition by a Viral RNA Element Through Assembly of a Triple Helix

Journal Article · · Science (Washington, D.C.)
OSTI ID:1041975

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus produces a highly abundant, nuclear noncoding RNA, polyadenylated nuclear (PAN) RNA, which contains an element that prevents its decay. The 79-nucleotide expression and nuclear retention element (ENE) was proposed to adopt a secondary structure like that of a box H/ACA small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA), with a U-rich internal loop that hybridizes to and protects the PAN RNA poly(A) tail. The crystal structure of a complex between the 40-nucleotide ENE core and oligo(A){sub 9} RNA at 2.5 angstrom resolution reveals that unlike snoRNAs, the U-rich loop of the ENE engages its target through formation of a major-groove triple helix. A-minor interactions extend the binding interface. Deadenylation assays confirm the functional importance of the triple helix. Thus, the ENE acts as an intramolecular RNA clamp, sequestering the PAN poly(A) tail and preventing the initiation of RNA decay.

Research Organization:
BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY (BNL)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE SC OFFICE OF SCIENCE (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-98CH10886
OSTI ID:
1041975
Report Number(s):
BNL--97653-2012-JA
Journal Information:
Science (Washington, D.C.), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.) Journal Issue: 6008 Vol. 330; ISSN SCIEAS; ISSN 0036-8075
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Structural analyses of an RNA stability element interacting with poly(A)
Journal Article · Sun Feb 21 23:00:00 EST 2021 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · OSTI ID:1798368

Phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance of double- and triple-helical nucleic acids. Phosphorus-31 chemical shifts as a probe of phosphorus-oxygen ester bond torsional angles
Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 23:00:00 EST 1982 · Biochemistry; (United States) · OSTI ID:5548042

The gene for human E2 small nucleolar RNA resides in an intron of a laminin-binding protein gene
Journal Article · Sun Nov 19 23:00:00 EST 1995 · Genomics · OSTI ID:446996