title: RNA binding properties of the coat protein from bacteriophage GA.
abstract: The coat protein of bacteriophage GA, a group II RNA phage, binds to a small RNA hairpin corresponding to its replicase operator. Binding is specific, with a Ka of 71 microM -1. This interaction differs kinetically from the analogous coat protein-RNA hairpin interactions of other RNA phage and also deviates somewhat in its pH and salt dependence. Despite 46 of 129 amino acid differences between the GA and group I phage R17 coat proteins, the binding sites are fairly similar. The essential features of the GA coat protein binding site are a based-paired stem with an unpaired purine and a four nucleotide loop having an A at position -4 and a purine at -7. Unlike the group I phage proteins, the GA coat protein does not distinguish between two alternate positions for the unpaired purine and does not show high specificity for a pyrimidine at position -5 of the loop.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gott
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: O C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Uhlenbeck
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002213:Capsid / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012317:RNA Phages / Q000378:metabolism*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins