Cryo-EM reveals mechanisms of natural RNA multivalency

• DOI: 10.1126/science.adv3451
• Publication Date: 2025-03-13T17:59:12Z
• Authors: Liu Wang; Jiahao Xie; Tao Gong; Hao Wu; Yifan Tu; Xin Peng; Sitong Shang; Xinyu Jia; Haiyun Ma; Jian Zou; Sheng Xu; Xin Zheng; Dong Zhang; Yang Liu; Chong Zhang; Yongbo Luo; Zirui Huang; Bin Shao; Binwu Ying; Yu Cheng; Yingqiang Guo; Ying Lai; Dingming Huang; Jianquan Liu; Yuquan Wei; Siqi Sun; Xuedong Zhou; Zhaoming Su
• Keywords: Pseudoknot; Riboswitch; Nucleic acid structure; Structural Biology

Homo-oligomerization of biological macromolecules leads to functional assemblies that are critical understanding various cellular processes. However, RNA quaternary structures have been rarely reported. Comparative genomics analysis has identified families containing hundreds sequences adopt conserved secondary and likely fold into complex three-dimensional (3D) structures. We use cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) determine from four families, including ARRPOF OLE forming dimers, ROOL GOLLD hexameric, octameric dodecameric nanostructures, at 2.6 4.6 Å resolutions. These homo-oligomeric reveal a plethora structural motifs contribute multivalency, kissing loop, palindromic base-pairing, A-stacking, metal ion coordination, pseudoknot minor-groove interactions. results provide the molecular basis intermolecular interactions driving multivalency with potential relevance.