Quantitative analyses of interactions between SpoVG and RNA/DNA

The Borrelia burgdorferi SpoVG protein has previously been found to be a DNA-and RNA-binding protein. To aid in the elucidation of ligand motifs, affinities for numerous RNAs, ssDNAs, and dsDNAs were measured and compared. The loci used in the study were spoVG, glpFKD, erpAB, bb0242, flaB, and ospAB, with particular focus on the untranslated 50 portion of the mRNAs. Performing binding and competition assays yielded that the 50 end of spoVG mRNA had the highest affinity while the lowest observed affinity was to the 5' end of flaB mRNA. Mutagenesis studies of spoVG RNA and ssDNA sequences suggested that the formation of SpoVG-nucleic acid complexes are not entirely dependent on either sequence or structure. Additionally, exchanging uracil for thymine in ssDNAs did not affect protein-nucleic acid complex formation.(c) 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

Automated summary

The Borrelia burgdorferi SpoVG protein exhibits different affinities for various RNAs, ssDNAs, and dsDNAs. Mutagenesis studies suggest that the formation of SpoVG-nucleic acid complexes is not solely dependent on sequence or structure. The substitution of uracil with thymine in ssDNAs does not affect protein-nucleic acid complex formation.