Zinc ions stimulate the cooperative RNA binding of hordeiviral gammab protein

A small regulatory gammab protein of the Poa semilatent hordeivirus (PSLV) contains two zinc finger-like motifs separated by a basic motif in the N-terminal part and a C-terminal coiled-coil motif. Interactions of the recombinant PSLV gammab protein and its mutants with various RNAs (ssRNA, dsRNA, ssRNA oligonucleotides) and ssDNA were studied in gel-shift assays. The results demonstrated that zinc ions are essential for effective nucleic-acid-binding activity of the gammab protein, suggesting the important role of zinc finger motifs in these interactions. Deletion of the C-proximal coiled-coil region did not affect highly cooperative RNA-protein binding, indicating that the N-terminal part of the protein contributes to the protein-protein interactions needed for the protein-RNA cooperativity.