Origin of life. RNA seeks its maker.
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Biopolymers↗
Biomedical subjects
J A Piccirilli
Publications and source records attributed to J A Piccirilli.
Metal ion catalysis in the Tetrahymena ribozyme reaction.
All catalytic RNAs (ribozymes) require or are stimulated by divalent metal ions, but it has been difficult to separate the contribution of these metal ions to formation of the RNA tertiary structure from a more direct role in catalysis. The Tetrahymena ribozyme catalyses cleavage of exogenous RNA or DNA substrates with an absolute requirement for Mg2+ or Mn2+ (ref. 6). A DNA substrate, in which the bridging 3' oxygen atom at the cleavage site is replaced by sulphur, is cleaved by the ribozyme about 1,000 times more slowly than the corresponding unmodified DNA substrate when Mg2+ is present as the only divalent metal ion. But addition of Mn2+ or Zn2+ to the reaction relieves this negative effect, with the 3' S-P bond being cleaved nearly as fast as the 3' O-P bond. Considering that Mn2+ and Zn2+ coordinate sulphur more strongly than Mg2+ does, these results indicate that the metal ion contributes directly to catalysis by coordination to the 3' oxygen atom in the transition state, presumably stabilizing the developing negative charge on the leaving group. We conclude that the Tetrahymena ribozyme is a metalloenzyme, with mechanistic similarities to several protein enzymes.
Animals↗
RNA catalysis by a group I ribozyme. Developing a model for transition state stabilization.
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Animals↗
Aminoacyl esterase activity of the Tetrahymena ribozyme.
Several classes of ribozymes (catalytic RNA's) catalyze reactions at phosphorus centers, but apparently no reaction at a carbon center has been demonstrated. The active site of the Tetrahymena ribozyme was engineered to bind an oligonucleotide derived from the 3' end of N-formyl-methionyl-tRNA(fMet). This ribozyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of the aminoacyl ester bond to a modest extent, 5 to 15 times greater than the uncatalyzed rate. Catalysis involves binding of the oligonucleotide to the internal guide sequence of the ribozyme and requires Mg2+ and sequence elements of the catalytic core. The ability of RNA to catalyze reactions with aminoacyl esters expands the catalytic versatility of RNA and suggests that the first aminoacyl tRNA synthetase could have been an RNA molecule.
Animals↗
Abortive products as initiating nucleotides during transcription by T7 RNA polymerase.
The kinetics of formation of abortive initiation products during transcription of a synthetic template (encoding the transcript GAUGGC) by T7 RNA polymerase have been determined. This study revealed that while total RNA was formed in the reaction as expected, the levels of the dinucleoside tetraphosphate guanylyl-3',5'-adenosine-5'-triphosphate (pppGpA) and trinucleoside pentaphosphate guanylyl-3',5'-adenosine-3',5'-uridine-5'-triphosphate (pppGpApU) formed by premature termination of transcription reached a maximum after 10 min, and then decreased. Transcription of the same template, in the presence of either [gamma-32P]GTP and ATP, or GTP and [alpha-32P]ATP, gave the 32P-labeled dinucleotides *pppGpA and pppG*pA. Incorporation of each of these substrates into longer RNA transcripts in the same enzyme-template system was demonstrated. The incorporation was shown to require the presence of template in the reaction mixture. The requirement for base complementarity restricts the position of incorporation to that of initiating (5') nucleotide. Transcription of a second template, which encodes an RNA transcript having the partial sequence GpA at two internal positions, in the presence of each of the labeled dinucleoside tetraphosphates, failed to bring about the synthesis of significant yields of any longer radiolabeled transcripts. It is concluded that dinucleoside tetraphosphate (and perhaps trinucleoside pentaphosphate) can function as initiating nucleotides when complementary to the nucleotide sequence at promoter regions. However, a dinucleotide is not used as substrate for subsequent chain elongation in T7 RNA polymerase catalyzed transcription reactions.
Base Sequence↗
A C-nucleotide base pair: methylpseudouridine-directed incorporation of formycin triphosphate into RNA catalyzed by T7 RNA polymerase.
With templates containing 2'-deoxy-1-methylpseudouridine (dm psi), T7 RNA polymerase catalyzes the incorporation of either adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or formycin triphosphate (FTP) into a growing chain of RNA with the same efficiency as with templates containing thymidine (dT). In each case, the overall rate of synthesis of full-length products containing formycin is about one-tenth of the rate of synthesis of analogous products containing adenosine. Analysis of the products of abortive initiation shows that incorporation of FMP into the growing oligonucleotide by T7 RNA polymerase is more likely to lead to premature termination of transcription than is incorporation of AMP. Nevertheless, the results demonstrate that T7 RNA polymerase tolerates the formation of a C-nucleotide transcription complex in which the nucleoside bases on both the template and the incoming nucleotide are joined to the ribose by a carbon-carbon bond. This result increases the prospects for further expanding the genetic alphabet via incorporation of new base pairs with novel hydrogen-bonding schemes (Piccirilli et al., 1990).
Adenosine Triphosphate↗
Ribozyme-catalyzed and nonenzymatic reactions of phosphate diesters: rate effects upon substitution of sulfur for a nonbridging phosphoryl oxygen atom.
The L-21 ScaI ribozyme derived from the intervening sequence of Tetrahymena thermophila pre-rRNA catalyzes a guanosine-dependent endonuclease reaction that is analogous to the first step in self-splicing of this intervening sequence. We now describe pre-steady-state kinetic experiments, with sulfur substituting for the pro-RP (nonbridging) phosphoryl oxygen atom at the site of cleavage, that test aspects of a kinetic model proposed for the ribozyme reaction (Herschlag, D., & Cech, T. R. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 10159-10171). Thio substitution does not affect the reaction with subsaturating oligonucleotide substrate and saturating guanosine ((kcat/Km)S), consistent with the previous finding that binding of the oligonucleotide substrate limits this rate constant. In contrast, there is a significant decrease in the rate of single-turnover reactions of ribozyme-bound (i.e., saturating) oligonucleotide substrate upon thio substitution, with decreases of 2.3-fold for the reaction with guanosine ((kcat/Km)G) and 7-fold for hydrolysis [i.e., with solvent replacing guanosine; kc(-G)]. These "thio effects" are consistent with rate-limiting chemistry, as shown by comparison with model reactions. Nonenzymatic nucleophilic substitution reactions of the phosphate diester, methyl 2,4-dinitrophenyl phosphate monoanion, are slowed 4-11-fold by thio substitution for reactions with hydroxide ion, formate ion, fluoride ion, pyridine, and nicotinamide. In addition, we have confirmed that thio substitution has no effect on the nonenzymatic alkaline cleavage of RNA (Burgers, P. M. J., & Eckstein, F. (1979) Biochemistry 18, 592-596). Considering the strong preference of Mg2+ for binding to oxygen rather than sulfur, the modest thio effect on the chemical step of the ribozyme-catalyzed reaction and the absence of a thio effect on the equilibrium constant for binding of the oligonucleotide substrate suggest that the pro-RP oxygen atom is not coordinated to Mg2+ in the E.S complex or in the transition state. General implications of thio effects in enzymatic reactions of phosphate diesters are discussed.
Animals↗
Enzymatic incorporation of a new base pair into DNA and RNA extends the genetic alphabet.
A new Watson-Crick base pair, with a hydrogen bonding pattern different from that in the A.T and G.C base pairs, is incorporated into duplex DNA and RNA by DNA and RNA polymerases and expands the genetic alphabet from 4 to 6 letters. This expansion could lead to RNAs with greater diversity in functional groups and greater catalytic potential.
Base Sequence↗
Natural selection, protein engineering, and the last riboorganism: rational model building in biochemistry.
A detailed study of the chemical behavior of modern catalysts (here, exemplified by dehydrogenases dependent on NAD+) allows us to construct models that distinguish between selected and drifting behaviors in biological macromolecules. These models enable us to manipulate rationally the properties of enzymes, here to design an "acetaldehyde reductase" dependent on NAD+ that is faster than any given us by nature. When applied to the origin of protein catalysis, models that explain the structures of ribo-cofactors (e.g., NAD+) must postulate a metabolically complex breakthrough organism. This means that: (1) The view from the present day back to the truly primeval organism is obscured; it is futile to try to deduce the detailed structure of the first life by examining the behaviors of modern organisms. (2) Riboorganisms dominated life on earth for a long time before translation evolved; indeed, fossils of riboorganisms might already be known. (3) Using organic synthesis, we have expanded the number of bases available for making RNA and making accessible RNA molecules that are likely to be intrinsically better catalysts.
Animals↗