title: Molecular recognition of amino acids by RNA aptamers: the evolution into an L-tyrosine binder of a dopamine-binding RNA motif.
abstract: We report the evolution of an RNA aptamer to change its binding specificity. RNA aptamers that bind the free amino acid tyrosine were in vitro selected from a degenerate pool derived from a previously selected dopamine aptamer. Three independent sequences bind tyrosine in solution, the winner of the selection binding with a dissociation constant of 35 microM. Competitive affinity chromatography with tyrosine-related ligands indicated that the selected aptamers are highly L-stereo selective and also recognize L-tryptophan and L-dopa with similar affinity. The binding site was localized by sequence comparison, analysis of minimal boundaries, and structural probing upon ligand binding. Tyrosine-binding sites are characterized by the presence of both tyrosine (UAU and UAC) and termination (UAG and UAA) triplets.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Biologia Cellulare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mannironi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scerch
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fruscoloni
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Tocchini-Valentini
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D019020:Directed Molecular Evolution; D004298:Dopamine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008024:Ligands; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides; D014443:Tyrosine; D010649:Phenylalanine; D012313:RNA; D014364:Tryptophan; D004298:Dopamine