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Hammerhead ribozyme structure: U-turn for RNA structural biology

J A Doudna1

  • 1Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06522, USA.

Structure (London, England : 1993)
|August 15, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Atomic resolution crystal structures reveal the hammerhead ribozyme active site. The catalytic center may involve a U-turn motif, similar to that found in transfer RNA (tRNA).

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • The hammerhead ribozyme is a small RNA enzyme crucial for various biological processes.
  • Understanding its catalytic mechanism requires atomic-level structural insights.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the high-resolution crystal structures of the hammerhead ribozyme.
  • To elucidate the structural basis of its catalytic activity.

Main Methods:

  • X-ray crystallography was employed to obtain the crystal structures.
  • Atomic resolution analysis was performed on the obtained structures.

Main Results:

  • Two distinct crystal structures of the hammerhead ribozyme were determined at atomic resolution.
  • The structures reveal the precise arrangement of the RNA active site.
  • A U-turn motif, previously identified in transfer RNA (tRNA), is suggested to be involved in the catalytic center.

Conclusions:

  • These structures offer the first atomic-level view of the hammerhead ribozyme active site.
  • The findings provide critical insights into the RNA-catalyzed mechanism of the hammerhead ribozyme.
  • The potential role of the U-turn motif in catalysis warrants further investigation.

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