J. Biochem, 2003, Vol. 133, No. 2 189-195
© 2003 Japanese Biochemical Society
BIOTECHNOLOGY |
Designed Structural-Rearrangement of an Active Group I Ribozyme
Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502
The catalytic core of the Tetrahyemena group I ribozyme consists of two functionally different domains, P4P6 and P3P7, that are conjugated via multiple tertiary interactions. The sequence encoding the P3P7 domain is divided into two fragments in its primary sequence although the two domains are physically separable in the three dimensional (3D-) structure of the ribozyme: The sequence encoding the P4P6 domain is inserted into that of the P3P7 domain. An artificial rearrangement was designed and attempted for the primary sequence of the P3P7 domain on the basis of a 3D-structural model and the biochemical data on the ribozyme. The domain in the primary structure was relocated to form a contiguous region while retaining the 3D-structure of the ribozyme required for self-splicing. The topologically rearranged ribozyme exhibited self-splicing activity.
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