Structural basis for RNA-silencing suppression by Tomato aspermy virus protein 2b

EMBO Rep. 2008 Aug;9(8):754-60. doi: 10.1038/embor.2008.118. Epub 2008 Jul 4.

Abstract

The 2b proteins encoded by cucumovirus act as post-transcriptional gene silencing suppressors to counter host defence during infection. Here we report the crystal structure of Tomato aspermy virus 2b (TAV2b) protein bound to a 19 bp small interfering RNA (siRNA) duplex. TAV2b adopts an all alpha-helix structure and forms a homodimer to measure siRNA duplex in a length-preference mode. TAV2b has a pair of hook-like structures to recognize simultaneously two alpha-helical turns of A-form RNA duplex by fitting its alpha-helix backbone into two adjacent major grooves of siRNA duplex. The conserved pi-stackings between tryptophan and the 5'-terminal base of siRNA duplex from both ends enhance the recognition. TAV2b further oligomerizes to form a dimer of dimers through the conserved leucine-zipper-like motif at its amino-terminal alpha-helix. Biochemical experiments suggest that TAV2b might interfere with the post-transcriptional gene silencing pathway by directly binding to siRNA duplex.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Calorimetry
  • Chromatography, Gel
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Cucumovirus / genetics
  • Cucumovirus / metabolism*
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • RNA Interference*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / chemistry
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Solanum lycopersicum / virology*
  • Viral Proteins / chemistry
  • Viral Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Viral Proteins