Journal
NATURE CHEMISTRY
Volume 7, Issue 10, Pages 793-801Publisher
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/NCHEM.2330
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Funding
- National Science Foundation [CHE 13-61946]
- Division Of Chemistry
- Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien [1636424] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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Ribozymes, which carry out phosphoryl-transfer reactions, often require Mg2+ ions for catalytic activity. The correct folding of the active site and ribozyme tertiary structure is also regulated by metal ions in a manner that is not fully understood. Here we employ coarse-grained molecular simulations to show that individual structural elements of the group I ribozyme from the bacterium Azoarcus form spontaneously in the unfolded ribozyme even at very low Mg2+ concentrations, and are transiently stabilized by the coordination of Mg2+ ions to specific nucleotides. However, competition for scarce Mg2+ and topological constraints that arise from chain connectivity prevent the complete folding of the ribozyme. A much higher Mg2+ concentration is required for complete folding of the ribozyme and stabilization of the active site. When Mg2+ is replaced by Ca2+ the ribozyme folds, but the active site remains unstable. Our results suggest that group I ribozymes utilize the same interactions with specific metal ligands for both structural stability and chemical activity.
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