Structural domains involved in the RNA folding activity of RNA helicase II/Gu protein

RNA helicase II/Gu (RH II/Gu) is a nucleolar protein that unwinds dsRNA in a 5' to 3' direction, and introduces a secondary structure into a ssRNA. The helicase domain is at the N-terminal three-quarters of the molecule and the foldase domain is at the C-terminal quarter. The RNA folding activity of RH II/Gu is not a mere artifact of its binding to RNA. This study narrows down the RNA foldase domain to amino acids 749-801 at the C-terminus of the protein. Dissection of this region by deletion and site-directed mutagenesis shows that the four FRGQR repeats, as well as the C-terminal end bind RNA independently. These juxtaposed subdomains are both important for the RNA foldase activity of RH II/Gu. Mutation of either repeat 2 or repeat 4, or simultaneous mutation of Lys792, Arg793 and Lys797 at the C-terminal end of RH II/Gu to alanines inhibits RNA foldase activity. The last 17 amino acids of RH II/Gu can be replaced by an RNA binding motif from nucleolar protein p120 without a deleterious effect on its foldase activity. A model is proposed to explain how RH II/Gu binds and folds an RNA substrate.