Title |
The 3′ Splice Site of Influenza A Segment 7 mRNA Can Exist in Two Conformations: A Pseudoknot and a Hairpin
|
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Published in |
PLOS ONE, June 2012
|
DOI | 10.1371/journal.pone.0038323 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Walter N. Moss, Lumbini I. Dela-Moss, Elzbieta Kierzek, Ryszard Kierzek, Salvatore F. Priore, Douglas H. Turner |
Abstract |
The 3' splice site of influenza A segment 7 is used to produce mRNA for the M2 ion-channel protein, which is critical to the formation of viable influenza virions. Native gel analysis, enzymatic/chemical structure probing, and oligonucleotide binding studies of a 63 nt fragment, containing the 3' splice site, key residues of an SF2/ASF splicing factor binding site, and a polypyrimidine tract, provide evidence for an equilibrium between pseudoknot and hairpin structures. This equilibrium is sensitive to multivalent cations, and can be forced towards the pseudoknot by addition of 5 mM cobalt hexammine. In the two conformations, the splice site and other functional elements exist in very different structural environments. In particular, the splice site is sequestered in the middle of a double helix in the pseudoknot conformation, while in the hairpin it resides in a two-by-two nucleotide internal loop. The results suggest that segment 7 mRNA splicing can be controlled by a conformational switch that exposes or hides the splice site. |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 3 | 7% |
Unknown | 39 | 93% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 16 | 38% |
Researcher | 12 | 29% |
Professor | 4 | 10% |
Student > Master | 2 | 5% |
Student > Bachelor | 2 | 5% |
Other | 3 | 7% |
Unknown | 3 | 7% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 15 | 36% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 15 | 36% |
Immunology and Microbiology | 3 | 7% |
Physics and Astronomy | 2 | 5% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 2 | 5% |
Other | 2 | 5% |
Unknown | 3 | 7% |