Skip to main content
Book cover

RNA Folding pp 255–264Cite as

RNA Conformational Changes Analyzed by Comparative Gel Electrophoresis

  • Protocol
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1086))

Abstract

The study of biologically relevant native RNA structures is important to understand their cellular function(s). Native gel electrophoresis provides information about such native structures in solution as a function of experimental conditions. The application of native gel electrophoresis in a comparative manner allows to obtain precise information on relative angles subtended between given pair of stems in an RNA molecule. By adapting this approach, it is possible to obtain very specific structural information such as the amplitude of dihedral angles and helical rotation. As an example, we will describe how native gel electrophoresis can be used to study the folding of the S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) sensing riboswitch.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Protocol
USD   49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Springer Nature is developing a new tool to find and evaluate Protocols. Learn more

References

  1. Lilley DM (1998) Folding of branched RNA species. Biopolymers 48:101–112

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lescoute A, Westhof E (2006) Topology of three-way junctions in folded RNAs. RNA 12:83–93

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Westhof E, Fritsch V (2000) RNA folding: beyond Watson-Crick pairs. Structure 8:R55–R65

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ban N, Nissen P, Hansen J et al (2000) The complete atomic structure of the large ribosomal subunit at 2.4 A resolution. Science 289:905–920

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wimberly BT, Brodersen DE, Clemons WM Jr et al (2000) Structure of the 30S ribosomal subunit. Nature 407:327–339

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Serganov A, Patel DJ (2012) Metabolite recognition principles and molecular mechanisms underlying riboswitch function. Annu Rev Biophys 41:343–370

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Lilley DM (2009) The structure and folding of branched RNA analyzed by fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Methods Enzymol 469:159–187

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Lilley DM (2004) Analysis of global conformational transitions in ribozymes. Methods Mol Biol 252:77–108

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Lilley DM (2000) Structures of helical junctions in nucleic acids. Q Rev Biophys 33:109–159

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Lilley DM (2000) Analysis of global conformation of branched RNA species using electrophoresis and fluorescence. Methods Enzymol 317:368–393

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Lumpkin OJ (1982) Mobility of DNA in gel electrophoresis. Biopolymers 21:2315–2316

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Duckett DR, Murchie AI, Diekmann S et al (1988) The structure of the Holliday junction, and its resolution. Cell 55:79–89

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Ortiz-Lombardia M, Gonzalez A, Eritja R et al (1999) Crystal structure of a DNA Holliday junction. Nat Struct Biol 6:913–917

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Eichman BF, Vargason JM, Mooers BH et al (2000) The Holliday junction in an inverted repeat DNA sequence: sequence effects on the structure of four-way junctions. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97:3971–3976

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Heppell B, Blouin S, Dussault AM et al (2011) Molecular insights into the ligand-controlled organization of the SAM-I riboswitch. Nat Chem Biol 7:384–392

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Lafontaine DA, Norman DG, Lilley DM (2002) The global structure of the VS ribozyme. EMBO J 21:2461–2471

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. McDaniel BA, Grundy FJ, Henkin TM (2005) A tertiary structural element in S box leader RNAs is required for S-adenosylmethionine-directed transcription termination. Mol Microbiol 57:1008–1021

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Heppell B, Lafontaine DA (2008) Folding of the SAM aptamer is determined by the formation of a K-turn-dependent pseudoknot. Biochemistry 47:1490–1499

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Pleiss JA, Derrick ML, Uhlenbeck OC (1998) T7 RNA polymerase produces 5' end heterogeneity during in vitro transcription from certain templates. RNA 4:1313–1317

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Montange RK, Batey RT (2006) Structure of the S-adenosylmethionine riboswitch regulatory mRNA element. Nature 441:1172–1175

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). DAL is a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator Scholar.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this protocol

Cite this protocol

Eschbach, S.H., Lafontaine, D.A. (2014). RNA Conformational Changes Analyzed by Comparative Gel Electrophoresis. In: Waldsich, C. (eds) RNA Folding. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1086. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-667-2_15

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-667-2_15

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-666-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-62703-667-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics