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Title: Spectroscopic characterization of Mn2+ and Cd2+ coordination to phosphorothioates in the conserved A9 metal site of the hammerhead ribozyme

Journal Article · · Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [5]
  1. Trinity University, San Antonio, TX (United States)
  2. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD (United States)
  3. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (United States)
  4. Brady-Built, Inc., Auburn, MA (United States)
  5. University of Oregon, Eugene, OR (United States)
  6. University of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)
  7. University of California-Davis, CA (United States)

Phosphorothioate modifications have widespread use in the field of nucleic acids. As substitution of sulfur for oxygen can alter metal coordination preferences, the phosphorothioate metal-rescue experiment is a powerful method for identifying metal coordination sites that influence specific properties in a large RNAs. The A9/G10.1 metal binding site of the hammerhead ribozyme (HHRz) has previously been shown to be functionally important through phosphorothioate rescue experiments. While an A9-SRp substitution is inhibitory in Mg2+, thiophilic Cd2+ rescues HHRz activity. Mn2+ is also often used in phosphorothioate metal-rescue studies but does not support activity for the A9-SRp HHRz. Here, we use EPR, electron spin-echo envelope modulation (ESEEM), and X-ray absorption spectroscopic methods to directly probe the structural consequences of Mn2+ and Cd2+ coordination to Rp and Sp phosphorothioate modifications at the A9/G10.1 site in the truncated hammerhead ribozyme (tHHRz). The results demonstrate that while Cd2+ does indeed bind to S in the thio-substituted ligand, Mn2+ coordinates to the non–sulfur oxo group of this phosphorothioate, regardless of isomer. Computational models demonstrate the energetic preference of Mn—O over Mn—S coordination in metal-dimethylthiophosphate models. In the case of the tHHRz, the resulting Mn2+ coordination preference of oxygen in either Rp or Sp A9 phosphorothioates differentially tunes catalytic activity, with Mn—O coordination in the A9-SRp phosphorothioate enzyme being inhibitory.

Research Organization:
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA (United States). Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-76SF00515
OSTI ID:
1981670
Journal Information:
Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, Journal Name: Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry Journal Issue: C Vol. 230; ISSN 0162-0134
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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