Structural Features that Give Rise to the Unusual Stability of RNA Hairpins Containing GNRA Loops

DOI Web Site 4 Citations
  • Hans A. Heus
    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309
  • Arthur Pardi
    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309

Abstract

<jats:p> The most frequently occurring RNA hairpins in 16 <jats:italic>S</jats:italic> and 23 <jats:italic>S</jats:italic> ribosomal RNA contain a tetranucleotide loop that has a GNRA consensus sequence. The solution structures of the GCAA and GAAA hairpins have been determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Both loops contain an unusual G-A base pair between the first and last residue in the loop, a hydrogen bond between a G base and a phosphate, extensive base stacking, and a hydrogen bond between a sugar 2′-end OH and a base. These interactions explain the high stability of these hairpins and the sequence requirements for the variant and invariant nucleotides in the GNRA tetranucleotide loop family. </jats:p>

Journal

  • Science

    Science 253 (5016), 191-194, 1991-07-12

    American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

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