Modular assembly of chimeric phi29 packaging RNAs that support DNA packaging.
The bacteriophage phi29 DNA packaging motor is a protein/RNA complex that can produce strong force to condense the linear-double-stranded DNA genome into a pre-formed protein capsid. The RNA component, called the packaging RNA (pRNA), utilizes magnesium-dependent inter-molecular base-pairing interactions to form ring-shaped complexes. The pRNA is a class of non-coding RNA, interacting with phi29 motor proteins to enable DNA packaging. Here, we report a two-piece chimeric pRNA construct that is fully competent in interacting with partner pRNA to form ring-shaped complexes, in packaging DNA via the motor, and in assembling infectious phi29 virions in vitro. This is the first example of a fully functional pRNA assembled using two non-covalently interacting fragments. The results support the notion of modular pRNA architecture in the phi29 packaging motor.
Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, LJS-251, 840 Downey Way, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0744, USA.
Yun
Y
Fang
Dan
D
Shu
Feng
F
Xiao
Peixuan
P
Guo
Peter Z
PZ
Qin
D017103:Bacillus Phages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D020029:Base Pairing; D001483:Base Sequence; D042003:DNA Packaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014771:Virion / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D012367:RNA, Viral