J.Rumnieks
and
K.Tars
(2014).
Crystal structure of the bacteriophage Qβ coat protein in complex with the RNA operator of the replicase gene.
J Mol Biol,
426,
1039-1049.
PubMed id: 24035813
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2013.08.025
Date:
17-Jun-13
Release date:
02-Oct-13
PROCHECK
Headers
References
Protein chains
P03615 (CAPSD_BPQBE) -
Capsid protein from Escherichia virus Qbeta
Seq: Struc:
133 a.a.
121 a.a.*
Key:
Secondary structure
CATH domain
*
PDB and UniProt seqs differ
at 2 residue positions (black
crosses)
Crystal structure of the bacteriophage Qβ coat protein in complex with the RNA operator of the replicase gene.
J.Rumnieks,
K.Tars.
ABSTRACT
The coat proteins of single-stranded RNA bacteriophages specifically recognize
and bind to a hairpin structure in their genome at the beginning of the
replicase gene. The interaction serves to repress the synthesis of the replicase
enzyme late in infection and contributes to the specific encapsidation of phage
RNA. While this mechanism is conserved throughout the Leviviridae family, the
coat protein and operator sequences from different phages show remarkable
variation, serving as prime examples for the co-evolution of protein and RNA
structure. To better understand the protein-RNA interactions in this virus
family, we have determined the three-dimensional structure of the coat protein
from bacteriophage Qβ bound to its cognate translational operator. The RNA
binding mode of Qβ coat protein shares several features with that of the widely
studied phage MS2, but only one nucleotide base in the hairpin loop makes
sequence-specific contacts with the protein. Unlike in other RNA phages, the Qβ
coat protein does not utilize an adenine-recognition pocket for binding a bulged
adenine base in the hairpin stem but instead uses a stacking interaction with a
tyrosine side chain to accommodate the base. The extended loop between β
strands E and F of Qβ coat protein makes contacts with the lower part of the
RNA stem, explaining the greater length dependence of the RNA helix for optimal
binding to the protein. Consequently, the complex structure allows the proposal
of a mechanism by which the Qβ coat protein recognizes and discriminates in
favor of its cognate RNA.