You are currently viewing the abstract.
View Full TextLog in to view the full text
AAAS login provides access to Science for AAAS members, and access to other journals in the Science family to users who have purchased individual subscriptions.
More options
Download and print this article for your personal scholarly, research, and educational use.
Buy a single issue of Science for just $15 USD.
Abstract
Poly(A) tail addition to the 3ʹ end of a wide range of RNAs is a highly conserved modification that plays a central role in cellular RNA function. Elements for nuclear expression (ENEs) are cis-acting RNA elements that stabilize poly(A) tails by sequestering them in RNA triplex structures. A 2.89-Å resolution crystal structure of a double ENE from a rice hAT transposon mRNA complexed with poly(A)28 reveals multiple modes of interaction with poly(A), including major-groove triple helices, extended minor-groove interactions with RNA double helices, a quintuple-base motif that transitions poly(A) from minor-groove associations to major-groove triple helices, and a poly(A) 3ʹ-end binding pocket. Our findings both expand the repertoire of motifs involved in long-range RNA interactions and provide insights into how polyadenylation can protect an RNA’s extreme 3ʹ end.
