Abstract
The complexity of RNA structure (in ribosomes and similar large assemblies) can be reduced to a series of rigid duplex elements connected by helical junctions. The latter determine the overall trajectory of the RNA and mediate tertiary contacts.
One very widespread junctional element is the kink turn (k-turn), which introduces a tight bend into the RNA structure. It typically comprises a 3 nt bulge followed by G•A and A•G pairs. The structure folds by association of the minor grooves flanking the bulge, and is stabilized by a precise set of hydrogen bonds, to generate an included angle of 50°. The k-turn mediates many tertiary contacts within functional structures including the ribosome, snoRNPs (e.g. box C/D) and many riboswitches. K-turns often serve as specific protein binding sites, particularly for the L7Ae class of proteins. These interactions are important in the ribosome, box C/D RNP and in the biogenesis of the spliceosome.
K-turns are arguably now the best understood structural motif in RNA. In studying their structure and folding the speaker and his research group have now generated a robust set of rules associating sequence and folding, that have strong predictive power. These can now be applied to sequences emerging from large scale sequences projects, including the rapidly emerging lncRNA species.
About the speaker
Prof David Lilley received his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Durham in 1972. He had been affiliated with University of Warwick, University of Oxford and the Searle Research Laboratories. He joined the University of Dundee in 1981, and is currently Professor of Molecular Biology. He is also Director of the Nucleic Acid Structure Research Group of Cancer Research UK.
Prof Lilley is well recognized of his outstanding work on the structure of RNA, the molecules that are produced from DNA during the genetic decoding process. He is investigating how cells repair their DNA when it gets damaged, which is crucial for preventing genetic faults that can lead to cancer.
Prof Lilley received numerous awards including the Royal Society of Chemistry Award in RNA and Ribozyme Chemistry, the RSC Interdisciplinary Award and the RNA Society Lifetime Achievement in Service Award, etc. He is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
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