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Structural mechanism of Staphylococcus aureus Hfq binding to an RNA A-tract

Journal Article · · Nucleic Acids Research
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gks809· OSTI ID:1903837
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [2]
  1. UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States); OSTI
  2. Duke University, Durham, NC (United States)
  3. University of Southern Denmark, Odense (Denmark)
  4. UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States)
Hfq is a post-transcriptional regulator that plays a key role in bacterial gene expression by binding AU-rich sequences and A-tracts to facilitate the annealing of sRNAs to target mRNAs and to affect RNA stability. To understand how Hfq from the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) binds A-tract RNA, we determined the crystal structure of an Sa Hfq–adenine oligoribonucleotide complex. The structure reveals a bipartite RNAbinding motif on the distal face that is composed of a purine nucleotide-specificity site (R-site) and a non-discriminating linker site (L-site). The (R–L)- binding motif, which is also utilized by Bacillus subtilis Hfq to bind (AG)3A, differs from the (A–R–N) tripartite poly(A) RNA-binding motif of Escherichia coli Hfq whereby the Sa Hfq R-site strongly prefers adenosine, is more aromatic and permits deeper insertion of the adenine ring. R-site adenine-stacking residue Phe30, which is conserved among Grampositive bacterial Hfqs, and an altered conformation about β3 and β4 eliminate the adenosine-specificity site (A-site) and create the L-site. Binding studies show that Sa Hfq binds (AU)3A≈(AG)3A ≥ (AC)3A > (AA)3A and L-site residue Lys33 plays a significant role. The (R–L) motif is likely utilized by Hfqs from most Gram-positive bacteria to bind alternating (A–N)n RNA.
Research Organization:
Duke University, Durham, NC (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
American Heart Association; Danish Natural Science Research Council; National Institutes of Health (NIH); Robert A. Welch Foundation; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division (MSE)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231; AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
1903837
Journal Information:
Nucleic Acids Research, Journal Name: Nucleic Acids Research Journal Issue: 21 Vol. 40; ISSN 0305-1048
Publisher:
Oxford University PressCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (9)

Mapping Hfq-RNA interaction surfaces using tryptophan fluorescence quenching journal November 2013
Structural insights into the modulatory role of the accessory protein WYL1 in the Type VI-D CRISPR-Cas system journal April 2019
Producing Hfq/Sm Proteins and sRNAs for Structural and Biophysical Studies of Ribonucleoprotein Assembly journal November 2017
Dynamic interactions between the RNA chaperone Hfq, small regulatory RNAs and mRNAs in live bacterial cells journal January 2020
Hfq Globally Binds and Destabilizes the bound sRNAs and mRNAs in Yersinia pestis journal
Hfq Globally Binds and Destabilizes sRNAs and mRNAs in Yersinia pestis journal July 2019
Caulobacter crescentus Hfq structure reveals a conserved mechanism of RNA annealing regulation. text January 2019
Architectural principles for Hfq/Crc-mediated regulation of gene expression. text January 2019
Cycling of RNAs on Hfq journal April 2013

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