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Contributions to the study of the architecture and evolution of ribozymes

NcRNA represent most of primary transcripts RNA in higher eukaryotes and tune gene expression via diverse mechanisms. They adopt 3D structures composed at 70% by WC bp forming A-form helices linked by RNA motifs. We identified the pk-turn, a new RNA motif related to k-turns that allow for the formation of a bend of 60° between stems P16 and P17 from the bacterial RNaseP. Yet it features different sequence and structural requirements than k-turns. The 2nd ribozyme which got my attention is the LCrz inserted in GIR2, a group I intron. This twintron is observed in the pre-rRNA 18S of the small subunit of the eukaryoteD. iris. LCrz catalyzes a reaction equivalent to the first step of splicing by group II introns, but in a structural context related to group I introns. We solved the 2.5 Å crystal structure of the LCrz and confirmed the unexpected shape by means of SAXS experiments. This work emphasizes the relationship between structure and function in the evolution of ribozymes.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:CCSD/oai:tel.archives-ouvertes.fr:tel-01063838
Date13 September 2013
CreatorsMeyer, Mélanie
PublisherUniversité de Strasbourg
Source SetsCCSD theses-EN-ligne, France
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypePhD thesis

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