Function of hexameric RNA in packaging of bacteriophage phi 29 DNA in vitro.
A cyclic hexamer of the 120-base prohead RNA (pRNA) is needed for efficient in vitro packaging of the B. subtilis bacteriophage phi 29 genome. This capacity of pRNA to form higher multimers by intermolecular base pairing of identical subunits represents a new RNA structural motif. Dimers of pRNA are likely intermediates in formation of the cyclic hexamer. A three-dimensional model of the pRNA hexamer is presented.
Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
F
F
Zhang
S
S
Lemieux
X
X
Wu
D
D
St-Arnaud
C T
CT
McMurray
F
F
Major
D
D
Anderson
D017103:Bacillus Phages / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001483:Base Sequence; D002213:Capsid / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D019281:Dimerization; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011108:Polymers; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D000079962:RNA, Circular; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014771:Virion / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014779:Virus Replication
D004279:DNA, Viral; D011108:Polymers; D000079962:RNA, Circular; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012313:RNA