Rock, scissors, paper: How RNA structure informs function

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Structural Biology
• Plant Biology

Background:

• RNA molecules exhibit a wide range of complex structures, from simple hairpins to intricate 3D folds.
• These RNA structures are essential for regulatory interactions with metabolites and macromolecules.
• Significant advancements in RNA structural biology have illuminated key biological processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the diverse world of RNA structures and their biological significance.
• To connect discoveries in RNA structure biology to the unique characteristics of plant life.
• To highlight plant-specific RNA structures and their role in gene regulation.

Main Methods:

• Review of established RNA structures, including transfer RNAs, ribozymes, riboswitches, ribosomes, and spliceosomes.
• Analysis of recent advancements in RNA structurome and pan-structurome studies.
• Integration of findings with plant-specific biological processes and discoveries.

Main Results:

• RNA's structural versatility allows for static, catalytic (like scissors), and dynamic (like paper) functions.
• Plant-specific discoveries include ribozymes, riboswitches, alternative splicing, organellar ribosomes, and thermometers.
• Whole-transcriptome structuromes and pan-structuromes reveal extensive RNA structural diversity in plants.

Conclusions:

• Plants possess a unique repertoire of RNA structures that confer specialized gene regulation capabilities.
• These RNA structures are critical for understanding fundamental biological processes in plants.
• Future research directions in RNA structure-function relationships are proposed.