NMR STUDIES OF RNAS AND RNA-PROTEIN INTERACTIONS

RNA-蛋白质相互作用是许多细胞过程的关键 包括对基因表达的调控。大量的基因和 存在几个RNA-蛋白质系统的生化数据；然而， 通过RNA结合支配RNA特异性识别的结构原理 人们对蛋白质知之甚少。噬菌体R17含有一种 最好地描述了RNA-蛋白质的相互作用。R17的外壳蛋白 紧密结合并特别结合到包含 病毒复制酶基因的翻译起始点。这项研究将集中于 论异核磁共振技术的应用 光谱学来探索导致这一现象的结构元素 互动。将为中的RNA发夹生成结构数据 R17外壳蛋白的缺失和存在。我们还将调查 环和茎变体的结构和动力学表现出不同 蛋白质结合亲和力的程度。 因为RNA分子具有折叠形成独特的二级结构的能力 和三级结构，RNA结合蛋白被迫区分 在一系列不同的三维形状之间--每个都拥有 精确的静电配置R17系统代表了一种 方便的模型，将使我们能够识别一些结构 RNA分子用来赋予RNA-蛋白质特异性的成分 互动。R17中的分子识别原理 真核生物中与RNA-蛋白质相互作用相关的系统 细胞。这里发现的原理可以用来准备 RNA或蛋白质配体，用于执行特定任务，如结合 核酸片段在体内或体外的特异性切割。

RNA-protein interactions are critical to many cellular processes including the regulation of gene expression. A great deal of genetic and biochemical data exists for several RNA-protein systems; however, the structural principles that govern RNA specific recognition by RNA binding proteins are poorly understood. The bacteriophage R17 contains one of the most well characterized RNA-protein interactions. The coat protein of R17 binds tightly and specifically to an RNA hairpin containing the translation start site of the viral replicase gene. This study will focus on the application of hetero-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to probe the structural elements that give rise to this interaction. Structural data will be generated for the RNA hairpins in the absence and presence of R17 coat protein. We will also investigate the structure and-dynamics of loop and stem variants that show different degrees of protein binding affinity. Because RNA molecules have the ability to fold to form unique secondary and tertiary structures, RNA binding proteins are forced to distinguish between a diverse array of three dimensional shapes -- each possessing a precise electrostatic arrangement The R17 system represents a convenient model that will allow us to identify a few of the structural components employed by RNA molecules to confer specificity to RNA-protein interactions. The principles governing molecular recognition in the R17 system should be relevant to RNA-protein interactions in eukaryotic cells. The principles discovered here may be used in the preparation of RNA or protein ligands designed to perform a specific task such as site specific cleavage of a nucleic acid fragment in vivo or in vitro.