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Come explore the fascinating world of cellular RNA Molecules with Mount Holyoke College Biochemistry 330 students.

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The RNase (P) for everyone

Ribonuclease P, or RNase P for short, is a catalytic RNA found in nearly every organism on earth (Fig 1). Discovered in 1978 by Stark, Kole, Bowman, and Altman, RNase P was the second type of ribozyme, an RNA that does the work of a protein, discovered, and the first to act exclusively on sequences not part of the same molecule as itself (1). While it was initially thought that both the RNA (called P RNA) and associated protein were necessary, further studies showed that the RNA alone has catalytic activity, making huge waves in the enzyme world (2). Figure 1 . RNAase P RNA structure across all domains of life and hypothesized "RNA world" with associated proteins. Adapted from Walker et al. 2008 P RNA folds into multiple helices and loops (Fig 2A) that connect with each other through base pairing (A-U and C-G) like in DNA and base stacking where the rings in each base stack and stick on top of each other to form a very stable structure (Fig 2B). Across all domains of ...
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U1 snRNP is a Superstar RNA-protein Complex

All life forms are able to survive because they can replicate themselves faithfully and pass on their genes to their progeny. We live in a world where our genetic blueprint is double-stranded DNA built from nucleotides A, T, C, and G. Our DNA sequences are used as a template to form an intermediate molecule called RNA. This messenger RNA is used as a template to form functional molecules called proteins. But this RNA (called pre-mRNA) needs to be processed (into mRNA) before it can be read into a protein. A long time ago it was believed that only other proteins possessed the ability to process pre-mRNA. But one fine day, researchers discovered that RNA could carry out (aka catalyze) its own processing! RNA molecules possessing catalytic ability were termed ‘ribozymes’ (akin to how protein catalysts are called ‘enzymes’) (1).   In particular, scientists discovered RNA sequences called "introns" that can self-catalyze their removal from an mRNA. This is called self-spli...
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The GlmS Riboswitch: A very unique addition to the catalytic RNA family!

The GlmS   Riboswitch: A very unique addition to the catalytic RNA family! Figure 1. Riboswitch folding! (People in White Coats) We have all heard at some point that our genetic information is encoded in our DNA. Perhaps you have also heard that RNA is transcribed from DNA, and that proteins are synthesized from the information carried by RNA. This is known as the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology. From the Central Dogma, one would think that RNA only serves as a messenger, relaying instructions from DNA to protein, but that is not the case! RNA molecules are capable of participating in a wide array of reactions! They can even perform catalysis—previously thought to be exclusively performed by proteins. These catalytic RNA molecules have been dubbed “ribozymes.” Another interesting set of RNA molecules are the riboswitches. Riboswitches regulate gene expression. They are found in the sequence immediately prior to the gene that they regulated, and, ...
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