Structural highlights
Function
FBF2_CAEEL Involved in the control of stem cells and sex determination in the C.elegans hermaphrodite germline. May also play a role in the hermaphrodite germline proliferation and oogenesis. Binds specifically to the regulatory region of fem-3 3'-UTR and mediates the sperm/oocyte switch. Negatively regulates gld-3 expression possibly by directly binding to two sites within the gld-3 isoform B 3'-UTR.[1] [2]
Evolutionary Conservation
Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf.
Publication Abstract from PubMed
Caenorhabditis elegans fem-3 binding factor (FBF) is a founding member of the PUMILIO/FBF (PUF) family of mRNA regulatory proteins. It regulates multiple mRNAs critical for stem cell maintenance and germline development. Here, we report crystal structures of FBF in complex with 6 different 9-nt RNA sequences, including elements from 4 natural mRNAs. These structures reveal that FBF binds to conserved bases at positions 1-3 and 7-8. The key specificity determinant of FBF vs. other PUF proteins lies in positions 4-6. In FBF/RNA complexes, these bases stack directly with one another and turn away from the RNA-binding surface. A short region of FBF is sufficient to impart its unique specificity and lies directly opposite the flipped bases. We suggest that this region imposes a flattened curvature on the protein; hence, the requirement for the additional nucleotide. The principles of FBF/RNA recognition suggest a general mechanism by which PUF proteins recognize distinct families of RNAs yet exploit very nearly identical atomic contacts in doing so.
Structural basis for specific recognition of multiple mRNA targets by a PUF regulatory protein.,Wang Y, Opperman L, Wickens M, Hall TM Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Dec 1;106(48):20186-91. Epub 2009 Nov 9. PMID:19901328[3]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
References
- ↑ Zhang B, Gallegos M, Puoti A, Durkin E, Fields S, Kimble J, Wickens MP. A conserved RNA-binding protein that regulates sexual fates in the C. elegans hermaphrodite germ line. Nature. 1997 Dec 4;390(6659):477-84. PMID:9393998 doi:10.1038/37297
- ↑ Eckmann CR, Crittenden SL, Suh N, Kimble J. GLD-3 and control of the mitosis/meiosis decision in the germline of Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics. 2004 Sep;168(1):147-60. PMID:15454534 doi:10.1534/genetics.104.029264
- ↑ Wang Y, Opperman L, Wickens M, Hall TM. Structural basis for specific recognition of multiple mRNA targets by a PUF regulatory protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Dec 1;106(48):20186-91. Epub 2009 Nov 9. PMID:19901328
