Elements of thermodynamics in RNA evolution.

The paper presents some aspects correlating thermal stability of RNA folding and the occurrence of structural motifs in natural ribonucleic acids. Particularly, the thermodynamic stability of 2'-5' and 3'-5' linked RNA and the contribution of unpaired terminal nucleotides (dangling ends) in secondary (2D) and tertiary (3D) structures of RNA are discussed. Both examples suggest that during evolution nature selected sequences and structures of RNA which are the most thermally stable and efficient for their biological function.

The relationship of thermodynamic stability at a G x U recognition site to tRNA aminoacylation specificity.

The G x U pair at the third position in the acceptor helix of Escherichia coli tRNA(Ala) is critical for aminoacylation. The features that allow G x U recognition are likely to include direct interaction of alanyl-tRNA synthetase with distinctive atomic groups and indirect recognition of the structural and stability information encoded in the sequence of G x U and its immediate context. The present work investigates the thermodynamic stability and acceptor activity for a comprehensive set of variant RNAs with substitutions of the G x U pair of E. coli tRNA(Ala). The four RNAs with Watson-Crick substitutions had a lower acceptor activity and a higher stability relative to the G x U RNA. On the other hand, the RNAs with mispair substitutions had a lower stability, but either a higher or a lower acceptor activity. Thus, the entire set of variant RNAs does not exhibit a correlation between thermodynamic stability of the free, unbound tRNA and its acceptor activity. The substantial acceptor activity of tRNAs with particular mispair substitutions may be explained by their ability to assume the conformational preferences of alanyl-tRNA synthetase. Moreover, the G x U pair may provide a point of deformability for the substrate tRNA to adapt to the enzyme's active site.

Thermodynamics of site-specific variant tRNA(Ala) acceptor stem microhairpins.

Thermal denaturation studies were carried out on a set of site-specific variants of a 22mer RNA hairpin comprising the aminoacyl acceptor stem sequence of E. coli tRNA(Ala). The pairing thermodynamics were calculated from the melting profiles.

Solution structure of RNA duplexes containing alternating CG base pairs: NMR study of r(CGCGCG)2 and 2'-O-Me(CGCGCG)2 under low salt conditions.

Structures of r(CGCGCG)2 and 2'-O-Me(CGCGCG)2 have been determined by NMR spectroscopy under low salt conditions. All protons and phosphorus nuclei resonances have been assigned. Signals of H5'/5" have been assigned stereospecifically. All 3JH,H and 3JP,H coupling constants have been measured. The structures were determined and refined using an iterative relaxation matrix procedure (IRMA) and the restrained MD simulation. Both duplexes form half-turn, right-handed helices with several conformational features which deviate significantly from a canonical A-RNA structure. Duplexes are characterised as having C3'-endo sugar pucker, very low base-pair rise and high helical twist and inclination angles. Helices are overwound with <10 bp per turn. There is limited inter-strand guanine stacking for CG steps. Within CG steps of both duplexes, the planes of the inter-strand cytosines are not parallel while guanines are almost parallel. For the GC steps this pattern is reversed. The 2'-O-methyl groups are spatially close to the 5'-hydrogens of neighbouring residues from the 3'-side and are directed towards the minor groove of 2'-O-Me(CGCGCG)2 forming a hydrophobic layer. Solution structures of both duplexes are similar; the effect of 2'-O-methylation on the parent RNA structure is small. This suggests that intrinsic properties imposed by alternating CG base pairs govern the overall conformation of both duplexes.

Structure of a mispaired RNA double helix at 1.6-A resolution and implications for the prediction of RNA secondary structure.

The nonamer r(GCUUCGGC)dBrU, where dBrU is 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine, contains the tetraloop sequence UUCG. It crystallizes in the presence of Rh(NH3)6Cl3. In solution the oligomer is expected to form a hairpin loop but the x-ray structure analysis, to a resolution of 1.6 A, indicates an eight-base-pair A-RNA duplex containing a central block of two G.U and two C.U pairs. Self-pairs which approximate to Watson-Crick geometry are also formed in the extended crystal structure between symmetry-related BrU residues and are part of infinite double-helical stacks. The G.U pair is a wobble base pair analogous to the G.T pair found in DNA fragments. The C.U mismatch involves one hydrogen-bonded contact between the bases and a bridging water molecule which ensures a good fit of the base pair in the RNA helix. The BrU.BrU pair is held by two hydrogen bonds in an orientation which is compatible with duplex geometry. The structure observed within the crystal has some parallels with the structure of globular RNAs, and the presence of stable, noncanonical base pairs has implications for the prediction of RNA secondary structure.

Z-RNA. The synthesis of 2'-O-[13C]methyl- and 5-methyl-analogs of ribo-CGCGCG.

Chemical synthesis of 2'-O-[13C]methyl-rCGCGCG and 5-methyl-rCGCGCG using support-aided phosphoramidite method is presented. 2'-O-Methyl guanosine derivative was separated from its 3'-O-methyl counterpart using transient 5',3'-O-silylation with 1,3-dichloro-1,1,3,3-tetraisopropyldisiloxane (Markiewicz reagent). The hexamers were obtained in a purity suitable for NMR studies.

Synthesis of site-specifically modified oligoribonucleotides for studies of the recognition of TAR RNA by HIV-1 tat protein and studies of hammerhead ribozymes.

Synthetic oligoribonucleotides having single uracil residues replaced by dU, dT, 2'-O-methylU or 5-bromodU have been prepared and used in the study of the interaction of HIV-1 tat protein with an RNA stem-loop. The preparation of phosphoramidites of 5-bromouridine and purine riboside suitable for use in solid-phase oligoribonucleotide synthesis is also described. The effect of adenine replacement by purine in a hammerhead ribozyme has also been determined.

Studies directed toward introduction of N6-isopentenyladenosine and its 2-methylthio analogue into oligoribonucleotides.

A new efficient route of i6A and ms2i6A synthesis, especially useful for the preparation of i6A-containing oligoribonucleotides eg. Api6A has been proposed. The method is based on aminolysis of a 6-methylsulfonylpurine system formed by oxidation of its 6-methylthio precursor.

New, ionic side-products in oligonucleotide synthesis: formation and reactivity of fluorescent N-/purin-6-yl/pyridinium salts.

Fluorescent N-/purin-6-yl/pyridinium salts are formed in pyridine assisted phosphorylations and arenesulphonations of the hypoxanthine lactam system under various conditions including those used in oligonucleotide synthesis. The N1-methyl-N3-/purin-6-yl/imidazolium salt is generated in phosphorylation with TPSCl/1-methylimidazole as a coupling system. Both salts are representatives of a new family of ionic side-products in oligonucleotide synthesis involving hypoxanthine residues. Their isolation procedure has been developed. High reactivity of N-/purin-6-yl/pyridinium salts towards some reagents used in oligonucleotide chemistry, e.g. pyridinium mediated conversion of hypoxanthine into 6-aminopurine, can result in point mutations in synthesized oligomer.

Further studies on oligoribonucleotide synthesis.

Recent results concerning the synthesis of oligoribonucleotides via the phosphotriester method, such as functionalization of ribonucleosides, new phosphorylating agents, 5'-O-sulfonylation and chromatography on Sephadex LH-20 for monitoring the removal of internucleotide phosphotriester groups, are presented. To show that efficiency of a new approach to the synthesis of oligoribonucleotides the pentamer /Up/4U was obtained.

The chemical synthesis of the anticodon loop of an eukaryotic initiator tRNA containing the hypermodified nucleoside N6-/N-threonylcarbonyl/-adenosine/t6A/1.

In this work, the first example of chemical synthesis of oligoribonucleotide containing the hypermodified nucleoside N6-/N-threonylcarbonyl/-adenosine /t6A/ is presented. Synthesis of the heptamer C-C-C-A-U-t6A-A IX, the sequence of which is related to the anticodon loop of the initiator tRNA from yellow lupine, was achieved by: /i/ phosphotriester block synthesis of suitably protected heptamer VI containing an adenosine unit with a free exo-NH2 group, /ii/ highly effective "one-flask" procedure for the transformation of the free exo-NH2 group of adenosine unit of heptamer VI into a N,N'-disubstituted urea system of t6A of heptamer VII /hypermodification/, and /iii/ final deprotection of VIII /32% total yield/ with the use of a new approach for simultaneous hydrogenolysis /PdO-hydrogen-pyridine/ of the p-nitrobenzyl group and 2,2,2-trichloroethyl groups from carboxyl function of t6A and internucleotide phosphates respectively.

Nucleoside 3'-phosphotriesters as key intermediates for the oligoribonucleotide synthesis. IV. New method for removal of 2,2,2-trichloroethyl group and 31P NMR as a new tool for analysis of deblocking of internucleotide phosphate protecting groups.

Zinc/acetylacetone/pyridine treatment has been designed as a very efficient method for removal of 2,2,2,-trichloroethyl group from phosphoesters. Internucleotide and terminal 2,2,2-trichloroethylphosphotriesters were transformed to corresponding diesters quantitatively. Much less reactive 2,2,2-trichloroethylphosphodiesters produced monoesters with ca. 90% yield. 31P NMR spectroscopy has been proposed as a new tool for analysis of removal of internucleotide phosphate protecting groups-a crucial step in oligonucleotides synthesis via phosphotriester approach.

Nucleoside-3'-phosphotriesters as key intermediates for the oligoribonucleotide synthesis. III. An improved preparation of nucleoside 3'-phosphotriesters, their 1H NMR characterization and new conditions for removal of 2-cyanoethyl group.

An improved procedure for the transformation of 5'-O-monomethoxytrityl-2'-O-acetyl-3'-phosphates of uridine la, inosine ib and 6-N-benzoyladenosine lc into corresponding 3'/2,2,2-trichloroethyl, 2-cyanoethyl/-phosphates iiaic is reported. H NMR characterization of nucleoside 3'-phosphotriesters is presented. New conditions i.e. anhydrous triethylamine-pyridine treatment have been found for the selective removal of 2-cyanoethyl group from nucleoside 3'-phosphotriesters in the presence of neighbouring 2'-O-acetyl one.