Improvement of RNA secondary structure prediction using RNase H cleavage and randomized oligonucleotides

RNA secondary structure prediction using free energy minimization is one method to gain an approximation of structure. Constraints generated by enzymatic mapping or chemical modification can improve the accuracy of secondary structure prediction. We report a facile method that identifies single-stranded regions in RNA using short, randomized DNA oligonucleotides and RNase H cleavage. These regions are then used as constraints in secondary structure prediction. This method was used to improve the secondary structure prediction of Escherichia coli 5S rRNA. The lowest free energy structure without constraints has only 27% of the base pairs present in the phylogenetic structure. The addition of constraints from RNase H cleavage improves the prediction to 100% of base pairs. The same method was used to generate secondary structure constraints for yeast tRNA^Phe, which is accurately predicted in the absence of constraints (95%). Although RNase H mapping does not improve secondary structure prediction, it does eliminate all other suboptimal structures predicted within 10% of the lowest free energy structure. The method is advantageous over other single-stranded nucleases since RNase H is functional in physiological conditions. Moreover, it can be used for any RNA to identify accessible binding sites for oligonucleotides or small molecules.     

Targeting degradation of RNA by RNase H using DNA hairpins

RNase H degradation of two 15 nt RNA target sites was examined in the presence of hairpin DNAs with a 5 nt loop and a 10 bp stem or single-stranded 15 nt DNAs. One target site was a segment of a 79 nt RNA, and the other was part of a 53 nt RNA. Secondary structure predictions indicate that the 53 nt RNA target site is entirely single stranded, while a portion of the 79 nt RNA target site forms an intramolecular duplex. Less RNase H and DNA were needed to cleave the 53 nt RNA target site than the less accessible 79 nt RNA site. The hairpin DNAs had their 5 nt loop and 3' side of the stem fully complementary to the target sites or had sequence changes that produced one to nine mismatched pairs. T(m) values ranged from 57 to 80 degrees C. The stability of the hairpin DNAs relative to the stability of their corresponding RNA-DNA hybrids influenced the extent of RNase H degradation at 37 degrees C. Under the assay conditions employed, the amount of degradation directed by the hairpin DNAs was correlated with their predicted DeltaG(o) (37) of binding to the RNA targets. A DNA hairpin with one mismatch to the target site of the 79 nt RNA did not induce degradation under conditions where fully complementary DNA hairpins produced 50-80% degradation. The in vitro results indicate that DNA hairpins can enhance the stringency of RNase H targeted degradation of the RNA sites.     

Increased specificity for antisense oligodeoxynucleotide targeting of RNA cleavage by RNase H using chimeric methylphosphonodiester/phosphodiester structures.

One of the inherent problems in the use of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides to ablate gene expression in cell cultures is that the stringency of hybridization in vivo is not subject to control and may be sub-optimal. Consequently, phosphodiester or phosphorothioate antisense effectors and non-targeted cellular RNA may form partial hybrids which are substrates for RNase H. Such processes could promote the sequence dependent inappropriate effects recently reported in the literature. We have attempted to resolve this problem by using chimeric methylphosphonodiester/phosphodiester oligodeoxynucleotides. In contrast to the extensive RNA degradation observed with all-phosphodiester oligodeoxynucleotides, highly modified chimeric antisense effectors displayed negligible, or undetectable, cleavage at non-target sites without significantly impaired activity at the target site. We also note that all of the all-phosphodiester oligodeoxynucleotides tested demonstrated inappropriate effects, and that such undesirable activity could vary widely between different sequences.     

RNase H cleavage of RNA hybridized to oligonucleotides containing methylphosphonate, phosphorothioate and phosphodiester bonds.

Three types of 14-mer oligonucleotides were hybridized to human beta-globin pre-mRNA and the resultant duplexes were tested for susceptibility to cleavage by RNase H from E. coli or from HeLa cell nuclear extract. The oligonucleotides contained normal deoxynucleotides, phosphorothioate analogs alternating with normal deoxynucleotides, or one to six methylphosphonate deoxynucleosides. Duplexes formed with deoxyoligonucleotides or phosphorothioate analogs were susceptible to cleavage by RNase H from both sources, whereas a duplex formed with an oligonucleotide containing six methylphosphonate deoxynucleosides alternating with normal deoxynucleotides was resistant. Susceptibility to cleavage by RNase H increased parallel to a reduction in the number of methylphosphonate residues in the oligonucleotide. Stability of the oligonucleotides in the nuclear extract from HeLa cells was also tested. Whereas deoxyoligonucleotides were rapidly degraded, oligonucleotides containing alternating methylphosphonate residues remained unchanged after 70 minutes of incubation. Other oligonucleotides exhibited intermediate stability.     

Sequence-specific cleavage of RNA using chimeric DNA splints and RNase H

To cleave RNA molecules using E. coli RNase H in a site-specific manner, a short oligodeoxyribonucleotide (3-5 mer) linked with oligo(2'-O-methyl)ribonucleotide(s) was designed to be used as a DNA splint. Our model experiments with ribooligomer the splint duplexes (9 mers) and RNase H demonstrated that a tetradeoxynucleotide cluster seems to be sufficient for the enzyme recognition and the short DNA-containing splint directs a unique cleavage of RNA by RNase H. The method could be applied to longer ribooligonucleotide substrates. For example, when 3'm (GA)d(AGAA)m(GGU)5' was used as a hybridization strand, 32pUCUUUCUUCUUCCAGGAU was cleaved specifically between U11 and C12 to yield 32pUCUUUCUUCUU. This method will have a variety of applications for the study of RNA.     

Sequence-dependent hydrolysis of RNA using modified oligonucleotide splints and RNase H

We found that, in the presence of chimeric oligonucleotides containing complementary deoxyribo- and 2'-O-methylnucleosides, a nonaribonucleotide, [5'-32P]pACUUACCUG, was cleaved specifically upon treatment with RNase H. When 3'm(UG)d(AATG)m(GAC)5' was used as a hybridization strand, pACUUACCUG was cleaved between C6 and C7 to yield pACUUAC. In the presence of 3'm(UGAA)d(TGGA)m(C)5', the nonaribonucleotide was hydrolyzed, mainly between U8 and C9, to give pACUUACCU. This method will have a variety of applications in the field of RNA engineering.     

Sequence-dependent hydrolysis of RNA using modified oligonucleotide splints and RNase H

To cleave RNA molecules using RNase H in a site-specific manner, a short deoxyoligonucleotide (3-5mer) joining with 2'-O-methyl oligonucleotide(s) was designed as a DNA splint to be used. Model experiments were carried out using ribooligonucleotide substrates (9 and 18 mer). It was found that the use of this type of splints (9 mer) causes a unique cleavage by RNase H. For example, when 3'm (GA)d(AGAA)m(GGU)5' was used as a hybridization strand, 32pUCUUUCUUCUUCCAGGAU was cleaved specifically between U11 and C12 to yield 32pUCUUUCUUCUU. This method will have a variety of applications for the study of RNA.     

Crystal structures of RNase H bound to an RNA/DNA hybrid: substrate specificity and metal-dependent catalysis

RNase H belongs to a nucleotidyl-transferase superfamily, which includes transposase, retroviral integrase, Holliday junction resolvase, and RISC nuclease Argonaute. We report the crystal structures of RNase H complexed with an RNA/DNA hybrid and a mechanism for substrate recognition and two-metal-ion-dependent catalysis. RNase H specifically recognizes the A form RNA strand and the B form DNA strand. Structure comparisons lead us to predict the catalytic residues of Argonaute and conclude that two-metal-ion catalysis is a general feature of the superfamily. In nucleases, the two metal ions are asymmetrically coordinated and have distinct roles in activating the nucleophile and stabilizing the transition state. In transposases, they are symmetrically coordinated and exchange roles to alternately activate a water and a 3'-OH for successive strand cleavage and transfer by a ping-pong mechanism.     

The non-RNase H domain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNase H1 binds double-stranded RNA: magnesium modulates the switch between double-stranded RNA binding and RNase H activity.

Eukaryotic ribonucleases H of known sequence are composed of an RNase H domain similar in size and sequence to that of Escherichia coli RNase HI and additional domains of unknown function. The RNase H1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has such an RNase H domain at its C-terminus. Here we show that the N-terminal non-RNase H portion of the yeast RNase H1 binds tightly to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and RNA-DNA hybrids even in the absence of the RNase H domain. Two copies of a sequence with limited similarity to the dsRNA-binding motif are present in this N-terminus. When the first of these sequences is altered, the protein no longer binds tightly to dsRNA and exhibits an increase in RNase H activity. Unlike other dsRNA-binding proteins, increasing the Mg2+ concentration from 0.5 mM to 5 mM inhibits binding of RNase H1 to dsRNA; yet a protein missing the RNase H domain binds strongly to dsRNA even at the higher Mg2+ concentration. These results suggest that binding to dsRNA and RNase H activity are mutually exclusive, and the Mg2+ concentration is critical for switching between the activities. Changes in the Mg2+ concentration or proteolytic severing of the dsRNA-binding domain could alter the activity or location of the RNase H and may govern access of the enzyme to the substrate. Sequences similar to the dsRNA-binding motif are present in other eukaryotic RNases H and the transactivating protein of cauliflower mosaic virus, suggesting that these proteins may also bind to dsRNA.     

Modular construction of a tertiary RNA structure: the specificity domain of the Bacillus subtilis RNase P RNA

The structure of the specificity domain (S-domain) of the Bacillus subtilis RNase P RNA has been proposed to be composed of a core and a buttress module, analogous to the bipartite structure of the P4-P6 domain of the Tetrahymena group I ribozyme. The core module is the functional unit of the S-domain and contains the binding site for the T stem-loop of a tRNA. The buttress module provides structural stability to the core module and consists of a GA3 tetraloop and its receptor. To explicitly test the hypothesis that modular construction can describe the structure of the S-domain and is a useful RNA design strategy, we analyzed the equilibrium folding and substrate binding of three classes of S-domain mutants. Addition or deletion of a base pair in the helical linker region between the modules only modestly destabilizes the tertiary structure. tRNA binding selectivity is affected in one but not in two other mutants of this class. Elimination of the GA3 tetraloop-receptor interactions significantly destabilizes the core module and results in the loss of tRNA binding selectivity. Replacing the buttress module with that of a homologous RNase P RNA maintains the tRNA binding selectivity. Overall, we have observed that the linker regions between the two modules can tolerate moderate structural changes and that the buttress modules can be shuffled between homologous S-domains. These results suggest that it is feasible to design an RNA using a buttress module to stabilize a functional module.     

Binding of phosphorothioate oligonucleotides with RNase H1 can cause conformational changes in the protein and alter the interactions of RNase H1 with other proteins

We recently found that toxic PS-ASOs can cause P54nrb and PSF nucleolar mislocalization in an RNase H1-dependent manner. To better understand the underlying mechanisms of these observations, here we utilize different biochemical approaches to demonstrate that PS-ASO binding can alter the conformations of the bound proteins, as illustrated using recombinant RNase H1, P54nrb, PSF proteins and various isolated domains. While, in general, binding of PS-ASOs or ASO/RNA duplexes stabilizes the conformations of these proteins, PS-ASO binding may also cause the unfolding of RNase H1, including both the hybrid binding domain and the catalytic domain. The extent of conformational change correlates with the binding affinity of PS-ASOs to the proteins. Consequently, PS-ASO binding to RNase H1 induces the interaction of RNase H1 with P54nrb or PSF in a 2′-modification and sequence dependent manner, and toxic PS-ASOs tend to induce more interactions than non-toxic PS-ASOs. PS-ASO binding also enhances the interaction between P54nrb and PSF. However, the interaction between RNase H1 and P32 protein can be disrupted upon binding of PS-ASOs. Together, these results suggest that stronger binding of PS-ASOs can cause greater conformational changes of the bound proteins, subsequently affecting protein–protein interactions. These observations thus provide deeper understanding of the molecular basis of PS-ASO-induced protein mislocalization or degradation observed in cells and advance our understanding of why some PS-ASOs are cytotoxic.     

A Boltzmann filter improves the prediction of RNA folding pathways in a massively parallel genetic algorithm

RNA folding using the massively parallel genetic algorithm (GA) has been enhanced by the addition of a Boltzmann filter. The filter uses the Boltzmann probability distribution in conjunction with Metropolis' relaxation algorithm. The combination of these two concepts within the GA's massively parallel computational environment helps guide the genetic algorithm to more accurately reflect RNA folding pathways and thus final solution structures. Helical regions (base-paired stems) now form in the structures based upon the stochastic properties of the thermodynamic parameters that have been determined from experiments. Thus, structural changes occur based upon the relative energetic impact that the change causes rather than just geometric conflicts alone. As a result, when comparing the predictions to phylogenetically determined structures, over multiple runs, fewer false-positive stems (predicted incorrectly) and more true-positive stems (predicted correctly) are generated, and the total number of predicted stems representing a solution is diminished. In addition, the significance (rate of occurrence) of the true-positive stems is increased. Thus, the predicted results more accurately reflect phylogenetically determined structures.     

Modified nucleotides in T1 RNase oligonucleotides of 18S ribosomal RNA of the Novikoff hepatoma.

The primary structure of 18S rRNA of the Novikoff hepatoma cells was investigated. Regardless of whether the primary sequence of 18S rRNA is finally determined by RNA sequencing methods or DNA sequencing methods, it is important to identify numbers and types of the modified nucleotides and accordingly the present study was designed to localize the modified regions in T1 RNase derived oligonucleotide. Modified nucleotides found in 66 different oligonucleotide sequences included 2 m62A, 1 m6A, 1 m7G, 1m1cap3psi, 7 Cm, 13 Am, 9 Gm, 11 Um, and 38 psi residues. A number of these modified nucleotides are now placed in defined sequences of T1 RNase oligonucleotides which are now being searched for in larger fragments derived from partial T1 RNase digests of 18S rRNA. Improved homochromatography fingerprinting (Choi et al. (1976) Cancer Res. 36, 4301) of T1 RNase derived oligonucleotides provided a distinctive pattern for 18S rRNA of Novikoff hepatoma ascites cells. The 116 spots obtained by homochromatography contain 176 oligonucleotide sequences.     

Telomerase protein rather than its RNA is the target of phosphorothioate-modified oligonucleotides.

Human telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein which uses its internal RNA moiety as a template for telomeric DNA synthesis. This enzyme is up-regulated in most malignant tumors and is therefore considered as a possible cancer target. Here we examined the effects of differently modified oligomers on telomeraseactivity from HL-60 cell extracts (TRAP-ezetrade mark assay). Phosphorothioate-modified oligonucleotides (PS-ODNs) inhibited telomerase activity at subnanomolar concen-trations and proved to be more efficient than peptide nucleic acids. In contrast to all the investigated oligomers, PS-ODNs were found to bind to the protein motif of telomerase called the primer binding site but poorly to its RNA. This is suggested by kinetic investigations demonstrating a competitive interaction of PS-ODNs and TS primer at the primer binding site. The K m value of the TS primer was 10.8 nM, the K i value of a 20mer PS-ODN was 1.6 nM. When the TS primer was PS-modified a striking increase in the telomerase activity was found which correlates with the number of phosphodiesters replaced. The K m value of a completely PS-modified TS primer was 0.56 nM. Based on these results the design of chimeric ODNs is proposed consisting of a 5'-PS-modified part targeting the primer binding site and a 3'-terminus part targeting the telomerase RNA.     

Kinetic analysis of precursor M1 RNA molecules for exploring substrate specificity of the N-terminal catalytic half of RNase E

To gain insight into the mechanism by which the sequence at the rne-dependent site of substrate RNA affects the substrate specificity of Escherichia coli RNase E, we performed kinetic analysis of the cleavage of precursor M1 RNA molecules containing various sequences at the rne-dependent site by the N-terminal catalytic half of RNase E (NTH-RNase E). NTH-RNase E displayed higher K(m) and k(cat) values for more specific substrates. The retention of single strandedness at the rne-dependent site was essential for cleavage efficiency. Moreover, the loss of single-strandedness was accompanied by a decrease in both the K(m) and k(cat) values.