Noncoexisting structural elements in catalytic pre-messenger RNA's.
We simulate the sequential folding of an autocatalytic pre-mRNA of group I revealing a scenario where core elements exert their function on intramolecular substrates as they are being generated. Our results indicate that the interactions shaping the 3'-substrate do not coexist with those shaping the 5'-substrate, but form after 5'-cleavage has occurred. This chronology of events is shown to be required for ribozyme function and quite universal in group I introns, since it is based on a competition of conserved helical stems. Preliminary probes rooted in site-directed mutagenesis are invoked to further validate the results.
Fernández
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Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Miami, FL 33101-6129.
D000465:Algorithms; D001483:Base Sequence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011336:Probability; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000737:chemistry*; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000737:chemistry*
D012322:RNA Precursors; D016337:RNA, Catalytic