関連する実験動画
Updated: Jul 25, 2026

06:59
Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers
Published on: August 20, 2014
1つの配列,2つのリボ酵素:新しいリボ酵素の折りたたみの出現への意味
1Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 9 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
まとめ
単一のRNA配列は,2つの異なるリボ酵素構造に折り畳み,異なる反応を触媒化することができます. この発見は,RNAの折りたたみが中間段階なしに既存の折りたたみから進化し,多様なRNAの共通の祖先を暗示することを示唆しています.
科学分野:
- バイオケミストリー バイオケミストリー
- 分子生物学は分子生物学である.
- 進化生物学の進化生物学について
背景:
- RNA分子は酵素として作用し,リボ酵素として知られる.
- 新しいRNAの構造と機能の進化は完全に理解されていません.
- 既存のモデルでは,機能的な分岐のために,しばしば連続的な発達や遺伝子重複を想定しています.
研究 の 目的:
- 単一のRNA配列が多重で進化的に異なるリボジームの折り畳みを採用できるかどうかを調査する.
- RNAの構造と機能の急速な進化的分岐の可能性を探求する.
- 既存のRNA進化と遺伝子複製のパラダイムに挑戦する.
主な方法:
- 特定のRNA配列の設計と合成.
- RNAの折りたたみ能力の実験的特徴.
- 異なるリボ酵素構造の触媒作用の測定.
- 配列変数とその進化経路の分析.
主要な成果:
- 関連のない2つのリボ酵素構造に折りたたむことができる単一のRNA配列が特定されました.
- それぞれの折りたたみにより,独特の酵素反応が触媒となる.
- 微小な配列修正により,中性変異によって,どちらかの折り畳みにアクセスできます.
- この2つの折り畳みには,共通の構造要素はありません.
結論:
- 新しいRNAの折りたたみは,不活性な中間物質を必要とせずに,既存の折りたたみから生まれることができます.
- このメカニズムは,RNAの迅速な機能的および構造的分岐の経路を提供します.
- これは,明らかな類似性のないRNAが共通の進化的起源を共有する可能性があることを示唆しています.
- 機能的差異は,RNAの進化において遺伝子の複製を先導する可能性があります.
関連する概念動画
RNA Structure
Overview
The basic structure of RNA consists of a five-carbon sugar and one of four nitrogenous bases. Although most RNA is single-stranded, it can form complex secondary and tertiary structures. Such structures play essential roles in the regulation of transcription and translation.
Different Types of RNA Have the Same Basic Structure
There are three main types of ribonucleic acid (RNA): messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). All three RNA types consist of a...
The basic structure of RNA consists of a five-carbon sugar and one of four nitrogenous bases. Although most RNA is single-stranded, it can form complex secondary and tertiary structures. Such structures play essential roles in the regulation of transcription and translation.
Different Types of RNA Have the Same Basic Structure
There are three main types of ribonucleic acid (RNA): messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). All three RNA types consist of a...
Bacterial RNA Polymerase
Unlike eukaryotes, bacteria use a single RNA Polymerase (RNAP) to transcribe all genes. The different subunits of bacterial RNAPhave distinct functions. The multisubunit structure of the bacterial RNAP helps the enzyme to maintain catalytic function, facilitate assembly, interact with DNA and RNA, and self-regulate its activity.
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
Riboswitches
Riboswitches are non-coding mRNA domains that regulate the transcription and translation of downstream genes without the help of proteins. Riboswitches bind directly to a metabolite and can form unique stem-loop or hairpin structures in response to the amount of the metabolite present. They have two distinct regions – a metabolite-binding aptamer and an expression platform.
The aptamer has high specificity for a particular metabolite which allows riboswitches to specifically regulate...
The aptamer has high specificity for a particular metabolite which allows riboswitches to specifically regulate...
Ribozymes
The term ribozyme is used for RNA that can act as an enzyme. Ribozymes are mainly found in selected viruses, bacteria, plant organelles, and lower eukaryotes. Ribozymes were first discovered in 1982 when Tom Cech’s laboratory observed Group I introns acting as enzymes. This was shortly followed by the discovery of another ribozyme, Ribonulcease P, by Sid Altman’s laboratory. Both Cech and Altman received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1989 for their work on ribozymes.
Ribozymes can be...
Ribozymes can be...
Ribosome Profiling
Ribosome profiling or ribo-sequencing is a deep sequencing technique that produces a snapshot of active translation in a cell. It selectively sequences the mRNAs protected by ribosomes to get an insight into a cell’s translation landscape at any given point in time.
Applications of ribosome profiling
Ribosome profiling has many applications, including in vivo monitoring of translation inside a particular organ or tissue type and quantifying new protein synthesis levels.
The technique helps...
Applications of ribosome profiling
Ribosome profiling has many applications, including in vivo monitoring of translation inside a particular organ or tissue type and quantifying new protein synthesis levels.
The technique helps...
Ribozymes
The term ribozyme is used for RNA that can act as an enzyme. Ribozymes are mainly found in selected viruses, bacteria, plant organelles, and lower eukaryotes. Ribozymes were first discovered in 1982 when Tom Cech’s laboratory observed Group I introns acting as enzymes. This was shortly followed by the discovery of another ribozyme, Ribonulcease P, by Sid Altman’s laboratory. Both Cech and Altman received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1989 for their work on ribozymes.
Ribozymes can be...
Ribozymes can be...

