2024/10/24 by Nagendar Goud Badepally, Tales Rocha de Moura, Elżbieta Purta +2 · 2 voices · 1 citation
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Environmental Science · #Bacteriophages and microbial interactions #RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms #RNA modifications and cancer
paper · doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168833
openalex publication_date 2024/10/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
• Cryo-EM reveals the 3D structure of raiA ncRNA from Clostridium sp. CAG 138. • raiA ncRNA adopts a unique globular architecture with a novel core 3D fold. • Chemical probing confirms the structure, revealing flexible and stable regions. • Sequence conservation analysis identifies highly conserved motifs in the raiA core. • Cryo-EM is assisted by computational modeling to elucidate the RNA 3D structure. Advancements in genome-wide sequence analysis have led to the discovery of numerous novel bacterial non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). These ncRNAs have been categorized into various RNA families and classes based on their size, structure, function, and evolutionary relationships. One such ncRNA family, raiA, is notably abundant in the bacterial phyla Firmicutes and Actinobacteria and is remarkably well-conserved across many Gram-positive bacteria. In this study, we integrated cryo-electron microscopy single-particle analysis with computational modeling and biochemical techniques to elucidate the structural characteristics of raiA from Clostridium sp. CAG 138. Our findings reveal the globular 3D fold of raiA , providing valuable structural insights. This analysis paves the way for future investigations into the functional properties of raiA , potentially uncovering new regulatory mechanisms in bacterial ncRNAs.