Structure modulation of helix 69 from Escherichia coli 23S ribosomal RNA by pseudouridylations.

ABSTRACT: Helix 69 (H69) is a 19-nt stem-loop region from the large subunit ribosomal RNA. Three pseudouridine (?) modifications clustered in H69 are conserved across phylogeny and known to affect ribosome function. To explore the effects of ? on the conformations of Escherichia coli H69 in solution, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to reveal the structural differences between H69 with (???) and without (UUU) ? modifications. Comparison of the two structures shows that H69 ??? has the following unique features: (i) the loop region is closed by a Watson-Crick base pair between ?1911 and A1919, which is potentially reinforced by interactions involving ?1911N1H and (ii) ? modifications at loop residues 1915 and 1917 promote base stacking from ?1915 to A1918. In contrast, the H69 UUU loop region, which lacks ? modifications, is less organized. Structure modulation by ? leads to alteration in conformational behavior of the 5' half of the H69 loop region, observed as broadening of C1914 non-exchangeable base proton resonances in the H69 ??? nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, and plays an important biological role in establishing the ribosomal intersubunit bridge B2a and mediating translational fidelity.

SUBMITTER: Jiang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3973299 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature