The Sm-like Hfq protein increases OxyS RNA interaction with target mRNAs.

The Escherichia coli host factor I, Hfq, binds to many small regulatory RNAs and is required for OxyS RNA repression of fhlA and rpoS mRNA translation. Here we report that Hfq is a bacterial homolog of the Sm and Sm-like proteins integral to RNA processing and mRNA degradation complexes in eukaryotic cells. Hfq exhibits the hallmark features of Sm and Sm-like proteins: the Sm1 sequence motif, a multisubunit ring structure (in this case a homomeric hexamer), and preferential binding to polyU. We also show that Hfq increases the OxyS RNA interaction with its target messages and propose that the enhancement of RNA-RNA pairing may be a general function of Hfq, Sm, and Sm-like proteins.     

Mechanism of binding of the antisense and target RNAs involved in the regulation of IncB plasmid replication.

The replication frequency of the IncB miniplasmid pMU720 is dependent upon the expression of the repA gene. Binding of a small, highly structured, antisense RNA (RNA I) to its complementary target in the RepA mRNA (RNA II) inhibits repA expression and thus regulates replication. Analyses of binding of RNA I to RNA II indicated that the reaction consists of three major steps. The first step, initial kissing complex formation, involves base pairing between complementary sequences in the hairpin loops of RNA I and RNA II. The second step is facilitated by interior loop structures in the upper stems of RNA I and RNA II and involves intrastand melting and interstrand pairing of the upper stem regions to form an extended kissing complex. This complex was shown to be sufficient for inhibition of repA expression. The third step involves stabilization of the extended kissing complex by pairing between complementary single-stranded tail regions of RNA I and RNA II. Thus, the final product of RNA I-RNA II binding is not a full duplex between the two molecules.     

Control of replication of plasmid R1: formation of an initial transient complex is rate-limiting for antisense RNA--target RNA pairing.

The replication frequency of plasmid R1 is determined by the availability of the initiator protein RepA. Synthesis of RepA is negatively controlled by an antisense RNA, CopA, which forms a duplex with the upstream region of the RepA mRNA, CopT. We have previously shown that the in vitro formation of the CopA-CopT duplex follows second-order kinetics and occurs in at least two steps. The first step is the formation of a transient (kissing) complex, which is subsequently converted to a persistent duplex. Here, we investigate the details of the reaction scheme and determine the rate constants of the pathway from the free RNAs to the complete duplex. Using a shortened CopA RNA (CopI) we have been able to determine the association and dissociation rate constants (k1,k-1) for the kissing complex (which are inferred to be the same for CopI-T and CopA-T), and measured the hybridization rate constant k2 (for CopA-T k2 is at least 1000-fold greater than for CopI-T). The analysis of CopA derivatives of mutant and wild-type origin shows that the rate of formation of the kissing complex is rate-limiting for the overall pairing reaction between CopA and CopT, both in vitro and in vivo. The biological implications of the kinetically irreversible RNA-RNA binding reaction scheme are discussed.     

An unusual structure formed by antisense-target RNA binding involves an extended kissing complex with a four-way junction and a side-by-side helical alignment

The antisense RNA CopA binds to the leader region of the repA mRNA (target: CopT). Previous studies on CopA-CopT pairing in vitro showed that the dominant product of antisense RNA-mRNA binding is not a full RNA duplex. We have studied here the structure of CopA-CopT complex, combining chemical and enzymatic probing and computer graphic modeling. CopI, a truncated derivative of CopA unable to bind CopT stably, was also analyzed. We show here that after initial loop-loop interaction (kissing), helix propagation resulted in an extended kissing complex that involves the formation of two intermolecular helices. By introducing mutations (base-pair inversions) into the upper stem regions of CopA and CopT, the boundaries of the two newly formed intermolecular helices were delimited. The resulting extended kissing complex represents a new type of four-way junction structure that adopts an asymmetrical X-shaped conformation formed by two helical domains, each one generated by coaxial stacking of two helices. This structure motif induces a side-by-side alignment of two long intramolecular helices that, in turn, facilitates the formation of an additional intermolecular helix that greatly stabilizes the inhibitory CopA-CopT RNA complex. This stabilizer helix cannot form in CopI-CopT complexes due to absence of the sequences involved. The functional significance of the three-dimensional models of the extended kissing complex (CopI-CopT) and the stable complex (CopA-CopT) are discussed.     

An antisense/target RNA duplex or a strong intramolecular RNA structure 5' of a translation initiation signal blocks ribosome binding: the case of plasmid R1.

Antisense RNAs in prokaryotic systems often inhibit translation of mRNAs. In some cases, this involves sequestration of Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequences and start codons. In other cases, antisense/target RNA duplexes do not overlap these signals, but form upstream. We have performed toeprinting analyses on repA mRNA of plasmid R1, both free and in duplex with the antisense RNA, CopA. An intermolecular RNA duplex 2 nt upstream of the tap SD prevents ribosome binding. An intrastrand stem-loop at this location yields the same inhibition. Thus, stable secondary structures immediately upstream of the tap SD sequence inhibit translation, as shown by toeprinting in vitro and repA-lacZ expression in vivo. Previous work showed that repA (initiator protein) expression requires tap (leader peptide) translation. Toeprinting data confirm that the tap ribosome binding site (RBS) is accessible, whereas the repA RBS, which is sequestered by a stable stem-loop, is weakly recognized by the ribosome. Truncated CopA RNA (CopI) is unable to pair completely with target RNA, but proceeds normally to a kissing intermediate. This mutant RNA species inhibits repA expression in vivo. By a kinetic toeprint inhibition protocol, we have shown that the structure of the kissing complex is sufficient to sterically prevent ribosome binding. These results are discussed in comparison with the effect of RNA structures elsewhere in the ribosome-binding region of an mRNA.     

Polymorphism of bulged-out residues in HIV-1 RNA DIS kissing complex and structure comparison with solution studies

All retroviruses encapsidate their genome as a dimer of homologous single-stranded RNAs. The dimerization initiation site (DIS) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is located in the 5'-untranslated region of the viral genome and consists of a hairpin with a 6 nt self-complementary loop sequence. Genomic RNA dimerization, a crucial step for virion infectivity, is promoted by the formation of a loop-loop complex (or kissing complex) between two DIS hairpins. Crystal structures for the subtypes A, B and F of the HIV-1 DIS kissing complex have now been solved at 2.3 A, 1.9 A and 1.6 A, respectively. They revealed a polymorphism of bulged-out residues showing clearly that their conformation is not a mere consequence of crystal packing. They also provide more insights into ion binding, hydration, and RNA conformation and flexibility. In particular, we observed the binding of spermine to the loop-loop helix, which displaced a magnesium cation important for subtype A DIS dimerization. The excellent agreement between X-ray structures and the results of chemical probing and interference data on larger viral RNA fragments shows that the crystal structures are relevant for the DIS kissing complex present in solution and in viral particles. Accordingly, these structures will be helpful for designing new drugs derived from aminoglycoside antibiotics and targeted against the RNA dimerization step of the viral life-cycle.     

Poliovirus RNA synthesis utilizes an RNP complex formed around the 5'-end of viral RNA.

The structure of a ribonucleoprotein complex formed at the 5'-end of poliovirus RNA was investigated. This complex involves the first 90 nucleotides of poliovirus genome which fold into a cloverleaf-like structure and interact with both uncleaved 3CD, the viral protease-polymerase precursor, and a 36 kDa ribosome-associated cellular protein. The cellular protein is required for complex formation and interacts with unpaired bases in one stem-loop of the cloverleaf RNA. Amino acids within the 3C protease which are important for RNA binding were identified by site-directed mutagenesis and the crystal structure of a related protease was used to model the RNA binding domain within the viral 3CD protein. The physiologic importance of the ribonucleic-protein complex is suggested by the finding that mutations that disrupt complex formation abolish RNA replication but do not affect RNA translation or stability. Based on these structural and functional findings we propose a model for the initiation of poliovirus RNA synthesis where an initiation complex consisting of 3CD, a cellular protein, and the 5'-end of the positive strand RNA catalyzes in trans the initiation of synthesis of new positive stranded RNA.     

Functional importance of RNA interactions in selection of translation initiation codons

RNA base pairing between the initiation codon and anticodon loop of initiator tRNA is essential but not sufficient for the selection of the 'correct' mRNA translational start site by ribosomes. In prokaryotes, additional RNA interactions between small ribosomal subunit RNA and mRNA sequences just upstream of the start codon can efficiently direct the ribosome to the initiation site. Although there is presently no proof for a similar important ribosomal RNA interaction in eukaryotes, the 5' non-coding regions of their mRNAs and 'consensus sequences' surrounding initiation codons have been shown to be strong determinants for initiation-site selection, but the exact mechanisms are not yet understood. Intramolecular base pairing in mRNA and participation of translation initiation factors can strongly influence the formation of mRNA–small ribosomal subunit–initiator tRNA complexes and modulate translational activities in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Only recently has it been appreciated that alternative mechanisms may also contribute to the selection of initiation codons in all organisms. Although direct proof is currently lacking, there is accumulating evidence that additional cis -acting mRNA elements and trans -acting proteins may form specific 'bridging' interactions with ribosomes during translation initiation.     

Dynamic Refolding of OxyS sRNA by the Hfq RNA Chaperone

The Sm protein Hfq chaperones small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) in bacteria, facilitating sRNA regulation of target mRNAs. Hfq acts in part by remodeling the sRNA and mRNA structures, yet the basis for this remodeling activity is not understood. To understand how Hfq remodels RNA, we used single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) to monitor conformational changes in OxyS sRNA upon Hfq binding. The results show that E. coli Hfq first compacts OxyS, bringing its 5′ and 3 ends together. Next, Hfq destabilizes an internal stem-loop in OxyS, allowing the RNA to adopt a more open conformation that is stabilized by a conserved arginine on the rim of Hfq. The frequency of transitions between compact and open conformations depend on interactions with Hfqs flexible C-terminal domain (CTD), being more rapid when the CTD is deleted, and slower when OxyS is bound to Caulobacter crescentus Hfq, which has a shorter and more stable CTD than E. coli Hfq. We propose that the CTDs gate transitions between OxyS conformations that are stabilized by interaction with one or more arginines. These results suggest a general model for how basic residues and intrinsically disordered regions of RNA chaperones act together to refold RNA.     

In vitro analysis of the interaction between the FinO protein and FinP antisense RNA of F-like conjugative plasmids

The FinO protein regulates the transfer potential of F-like conjugative plasmids through its interaction with FinP antisense RNA and its target, traJ mRNA. FinO binds to and protects FinP from degradation and promotes duplex formation between FinP and traJ mRNA in vitro. The FinP secondary structure consists of two stem-loop domains separated by a 4-base spacer and terminated by a 6-base tail. Previous studies suggested FinO bound to the smooth 14-base pair helix of stem-loop II. In this investigation, RNA mobility shift analysis was used to study the interaction between a glutathione S-transferase (GST)-FinO fusion protein and a series of synthetic FinP and traJ mRNA variants. Mutations in 16 of the 28 bases in stem II of FinP that are predicted to disrupt base pairing did not significantly alter the GST-FinO binding affinity. Removal of the single-stranded regions on either side of stem-loop II led to a dramatic decrease in GST-FinO binding to FinP and to the complementary region of the traJ mRNA leader. While no evidence for sequence-specific contacts was found, the results suggest that FinO recognizes the overall shape of the RNA and is influenced by the length of the single-stranded regions flanking the stem-loop.     

An antisense RNA inhibits translation by competing with standby ribosomes

Most antisense RNAs in bacteria inhibit translation by competing with ribosomes for translation initiation regions (TIRs) on nascent mRNA. We propose a mechanism by which an antisense RNA inhibits translation without binding directly to a TIR. The tisAB locus encodes an SOS-induced toxin, and IstR-1 is the antisense RNA that counteracts toxicity. We show that full-length tisAB mRNA (+1) is translationally inactive and endonucleolytic processing produces an active mRNA (+42). IstR-1 binding inhibits translation of this mRNA, and subsequent RNase III cleavage generates a truncated, inactive mRNA (+106). In vitro translation, toeprinting, and structure mapping suggest that active, but not inactive, tisAB mRNAs contain an upstream ribosome loading or "standby" site. Standby binding is required for initiation at the highly structured tisB TIR. This may involve ribosome sliding to a transiently open tisB TIR. IstR-1 competes with ribosomes by base pairing to the standby site located approximately 100 nucleotides upstream.     

A small RNA activates CFA synthase by isoform‐specific mRNA stabilization

Small RNAs use a diversity of well‐characterized mechanisms to repress mRNAs, but how they activate gene expression at the mRNA level remains not well understood. The predominant activation mechanism of Hfq‐associated small RNAs has been translational control whereby base pairing with the target prevents the formation of an intrinsic inhibitory structure in the mRNA and promotes translation initiation. Here, we report a translation‐independent mechanism whereby the small RNA RydC selectively activates the longer of two isoforms of cfa mRNA (encoding cyclopropane fatty acid synthase) in Salmonella enterica. Target activation is achieved through seed pairing of the pseudoknot‐exposed, conserved 5′ end of RydC to an upstream region of the cfa mRNA. The seed pairing stabilizes the messenger, likely by interfering directly with RNase E‐mediated decay in the 5′ untranslated region. Intriguingly, this mechanism is generic such that the activation is equally achieved by seed pairing of unrelated small RNAs, suggesting that this mechanism may be utilized in the design of RNA‐controlled synthetic circuits. Physiologically, RydC is the first small RNA known to regulate membrane stability.