Abstract
The c-di-GMP [bis-(3′–5′)-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate] riboswitch is a macromolecular target in the c-di-GMP second messenger signalling pathway. It regulates many genes related to c-di-GMP metabolism as well as genes involved in bacterial motility, virulence and biofilm formation. The riboswitch makes asymmetric contacts to the bases and phosphate backbone of this symmetric dinucleotide. The phylogenetics suggested and mutagenesis has confirmed that this is a flexible motif where variants can make alternative interactions with each of the guanine bases of c-di-GMP. A mutant riboswitch has been designed that can bind a related molecule, c-di-AMP, confirming the most important contacts made to the ligand. The binding kinetics reveal that this is a kinetically controlled riboswitch and mutations to the riboswitch lead to increases in the off-rate. This riboswitch is therefore flexible in sequence as well as kinetic properties.
- bis-(3′–5′)-cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP)
- guanine
- ligand binding
- riboswitch
- signalling
Footnotes
NACON VIII: 8th International Meeting on Recognition Studies in Nucleic Acids: An Independent Meeting held at The Edge, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, U.K., 12–16 September 2010. Organized by Mike Blackburn, Mark Dickman, Jane Grasby, David Hornby, Chris Hunter, John Rafferty, Jim Thomas, David Williams and Nick Williams (Sheffield, U.K.).
Abbreviations: c-di-GMP, bis-(3′–5′)-cyclic dimeric GMP; TL/TLR, tetraloop/tetraloop receptor
- © The Authors Journal compilation © 2011 Biochemical Society