TY - JOUR
T1 - Gold-tagged RNA - A probe for macromolecular assemblies
AU - Medalia, Ohad
AU - Heim, Manfred
AU - Guckenberger, Reinhard
AU - Sperling, Ruth
AU - Sperling, Joseph
PY - 1999/9
Y1 - 1999/9
N2 - Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) play a key role in many fundamental life processes. These polymers are often found complexed with proteins in extremely large particles whose molecular mass may reach several millions of daltons (e.g., ribosomes, spliceosomes, and viruses). Structural studies of such RNA-protein complexes should help elucidate their mode of action. For the structural analyses of many macromolecular assemblies, electron microscopy (EM) has served an instrumental role. However, localization by EM of RNA within biological complexes is not yet a straightforward undertaking. Here we describe a methodology for the covalent tagging of RNA molecules with gold clusters, thereby enabling their direct visualization by microscopical methods. Our strategy involves transcription in vitro of RNAs that carry free thiol groups, using ribonucleoside triphosphate analogs containing a substituent with a terminal thiol group on their heterocyclic ring. This synthesis is followed by coupling of gold clusters to the thiolated transcript through a maleimido group. Visualization of such gold-tagged RNAs by transmission electron microscopy showed spots of gold clusters, with a diameter of 1-2 nm, arranged at nearly regular distances on an imaginary curve that presumably corresponds to the RNA chain. This assignment was corroborated by atomic force microscopy that exhibited images of RNA chains in which knob-like structures, whose height corresponds to the diameter of the gold clusters, were clearly seen. This study demonstrates the potential use of nucleic acids that are covalently labeled with gold clusters for the structural characterization of protein-RNA complexes.
AB - Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) play a key role in many fundamental life processes. These polymers are often found complexed with proteins in extremely large particles whose molecular mass may reach several millions of daltons (e.g., ribosomes, spliceosomes, and viruses). Structural studies of such RNA-protein complexes should help elucidate their mode of action. For the structural analyses of many macromolecular assemblies, electron microscopy (EM) has served an instrumental role. However, localization by EM of RNA within biological complexes is not yet a straightforward undertaking. Here we describe a methodology for the covalent tagging of RNA molecules with gold clusters, thereby enabling their direct visualization by microscopical methods. Our strategy involves transcription in vitro of RNAs that carry free thiol groups, using ribonucleoside triphosphate analogs containing a substituent with a terminal thiol group on their heterocyclic ring. This synthesis is followed by coupling of gold clusters to the thiolated transcript through a maleimido group. Visualization of such gold-tagged RNAs by transmission electron microscopy showed spots of gold clusters, with a diameter of 1-2 nm, arranged at nearly regular distances on an imaginary curve that presumably corresponds to the RNA chain. This assignment was corroborated by atomic force microscopy that exhibited images of RNA chains in which knob-like structures, whose height corresponds to the diameter of the gold clusters, were clearly seen. This study demonstrates the potential use of nucleic acids that are covalently labeled with gold clusters for the structural characterization of protein-RNA complexes.
KW - DNA
KW - Gold cluster
KW - Nanogold
KW - Ribonucleoprotein
KW - RNA
KW - Visualization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0032710778&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1006/jsbi.1999.4134
DO - 10.1006/jsbi.1999.4134
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C2 - 10527900
AN - SCOPUS:0032710778
SN - 1047-8477
VL - 127
SP - 113
EP - 119
JO - Journal of Structural Biology
JF - Journal of Structural Biology
IS - 2
ER -