The active form of the hairpin ribozyme is brought about by the interaction of two formally unpaired loops. In a natural molecule, these are present on two adjacent arms of a four-way junction. Although activity can be obtained in molecules lacking this junction, the junction is important in the promotion of the folded state of the ribozyme under physiological conditions, at a rate that is faster than the chemical reaction. Single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer studies show that the junction introduces a discrete intermediate into the folding process, which repeatedly juxtaposes the two loops and thus promotes their docking. Using single-molecule enzymology, the cleavage and ligation rates have been measured directly. The pH dependence of the rates is consistent with a role for nucleobases acting in general acid–base catalysis.
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Conference Article|
June 01 2005
Folding and catalysis of the hairpin ribozyme
T.J. Wilson;
T.J. Wilson
* Cancer Research U.K. Nucleic Acid Structure Research Group, MSI/WTB Complex, The University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K.
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M. Nahas;
M. Nahas
† Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, U.S.A.
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T. Ha;
T. Ha
† Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, U.S.A.
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D.M.J. Lilley
D.M.J. Lilley
1
* Cancer Research U.K. Nucleic Acid Structure Research Group, MSI/WTB Complex, The University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K.
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed (email d.m.j.lilley@dundee.ac.uk).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
January 17 2005
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2005 The Biochemical Society
2005
Biochem Soc Trans (2005) 33 (3): 461–465.
Article history
Received:
January 17 2005
Citation
T.J. Wilson, M. Nahas, T. Ha, D.M.J. Lilley; Folding and catalysis of the hairpin ribozyme. Biochem Soc Trans 1 June 2005; 33 (3): 461–465. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0330461
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