PNAS: Scientists Unveiled a Novel Feature of DEAD-box Proteins
As reported on the Early Edition of the Proceeding of the National Academy of Science on Apr. 29, 2013, scientists have uncovered how DEAD-box proteins and its cofactors can specifically work on other proteins with nonspecific biochemical activity.
DEAD-box proteins are a large class of RNA-dependent ATPases. They control all aspects of gene expression and RNA metabolism, especially the production of ribosomes. In the process of ribosome production, specificity is very important.
They tried the interaction between a small ribosomal subunit, Rok1, and cofactor, Rrp5. Rok1 recognizes the RNA backbone—the basic structural framework of nucleic acids. Then they found that Rrp5 let Rok1 specifically target RNA sequence by modulating the Rok1 structure.
The finding helps scientists understand more roles of such cofactors. Based on this, scientists are thinking about to modulate the activity of related proteins as well as control the activity. This finding could reconcile the need for specific substrate binding of some DEAD-box proteins with their nonspecific binding surface and expands the potential roles of cofactors to specificity factors. Identification of helicase cofactors and their RNA substrates could therefore help define the undescribed roles of the 19 DEAD-box proteins that function in ribosome assembly.
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Article Link: PNAS: Scientists Unveiled a Novel Feature of DEAD-box Proteins
