STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF FUNCTIONAL RNA

这个子项目是许多利用资源的研究子项目之一 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目的主要支持 而子项目的主要调查员可能是由其他来源提供的， 包括其它NIH来源。 列出的子项目总成本可能 代表子项目使用的中心基础设施的估计数量， 而不是由NCRR赠款提供给子项目或子项目工作人员的直接资金。 核糖开关是RNA结构域，其可以通过结合小分子来调节相关基因的表达。甘氨酸核糖开关识别氨基酸甘氨酸以上调允许甘氨酸用作碳的替代来源的基因的表达。这种核糖开关最显著的特征是它可以以合作的方式识别甘氨酸，允许受调控的基因从关闭过渡到完全开启，而甘氨酸浓度的变化较小。核糖开关由两个非常相似的适体结构域组成，它们通过一个短的保守区域连接，我们实验室之前的工作已经确定了被认为参与协同性的部分。为了解决这个问题的配体识别的协同性是如何实现的RNA系统中，我们正在努力解决甘氨酸核糖开关的晶体结构。到目前为止，我们已经收集了大约3.6A的本地数据。我们未来的目标是获得有意义的相位信息和更高质量的原生数据。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Riboswitches are RNA domains that can regulate the expression of associated genes through the binding of a small molecule. The glycine riboswitch recognizes the amino acid glycine to upregulate expression of genes that allow glycine to be utilized as an alternative source of carbon. The most striking feature of this riboswitch is the fact that it can recognize glycine in a cooperative nature, allowing the regulated genes to transition from off to fully on with smaller changes in glycine concentration. The riboswitch is composed of two very similar aptamer domains linked by a short conserved region, and previous work in our lab has identified sections that are thought to be involved in cooperativity. To address the question of how cooperativity of ligand recognition is achieved in this RNA system we are working towards solving the crystal structure of the glycine riboswitch. To date, we have collected native data to approximately 3.6A. Our aims going forward focus on obtaining meaningful phase information and higher quality native data.