Open AccessA plant virus replication system to assay the formation of RNA pseudotriloop motifs in RNA–protein interactions
Author(s) -
P. C. Joost Haasnoot,
John F. Bol,
René C. L. Olsthoorn
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2135413100
Subject(s) - rna , subgenomic mrna , biology , transcription (linguistics) , rna dependent rna polymerase , nucleotide , transactivation , viral replication , nucleic acid structure , virus , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , gene , transcription factor , linguistics , philosophy
A pseudotriloop is formed by transloop base pairing between the first (5') and the fifth nucleotide in a hexanucleotide RNA loop ("hexaloop") to subtend a triloop of nucleotides 2-4. This structure has been found in hairpins involved in the regulation of iron metabolism in mammalian cells and in transcription of plant virus subgenomic RNA. Several hexaloop hairpins, including HIV-transactivation-responsive element and hepatitis B virus , potentially adopt a pseudotriloop conformation. Here we show that an RNA plant virus whose replication depends on a conventional triloop hairpin can be used to verify the existence of pseudotriloop structures in vivo. Our data suggest that the pseudotriloop may represent a common motif in RNA-protein recognition.