7v9e

Publication Abstract from PubMed

Known ribozymes in contemporary biology perform a limited range of chemical catalysis, but in vitro selection has generated species that catalyze a broader range of chemistry; yet, there have been few structural and mechanistic studies of selected ribozymes. A ribozyme has recently been selected that can catalyze a site-specific methyl transfer reaction. We have solved the crystal structure of this ribozyme at a resolution of 2.3 A, showing how the RNA folds to generate a very specific binding site for the methyl donor substrate. The structure immediately suggests a catalytic mechanism involving a combination of proximity and orientation and nucleobase-mediated general acid catalysis. The mechanism is supported by the pH dependence of the rate of catalysis. A selected methyltransferase ribozyme can thus use a relatively sophisticated catalytic mechanism, broadening the range of known RNA-catalyzed chemistry.

Structure and mechanism of a methyltransferase ribozyme.,Deng J, Wilson TJ, Wang J, Peng X, Li M, Lin X, Liao W, Lilley DMJ, Huang L Nat Chem Biol. 2022 Mar 17. pii: 10.1038/s41589-022-00982-z. doi:, 10.1038/s41589-022-00982-z. PMID:35301479^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.