Discussion
Based on an initial crystallographic indication of
structural flexibility in a protein loop that lies adjacent to
the poliovirus polymerase active site and contacts the
RNA template strand in the EC structure, we hypothesized
that this structural element may play a key role in
the polymerase catalytic cycle. We designed a dozen
mutations to probe the function of specific residues
within the loop, solved their structures, and examined
their biochemical activities. The results indicate that this
loop can exist in two dominant orientations and that
mutations restricting loop flexibility result in translocation-deficient
polymerases. Together, the results lead
us to propose that conformational changes within this
loop play a role in mediating RNA translocation after
catalysis in picornaviral RNA-dependent RNA
polymerases.
The structures of 11 different mutants within
residues 288–292 suggest that this loop can exist
in two stable conformations where it is either tucked
into a pocket at the junction of the palm and fingers
domains (in) or flipped out toward the active site in
the palm domain (out). Closer inspection of the in
conformations reveals two orientations of Ser288
whose side chain can flip ≈150° through a combination
of a rotamer change and backbone movement.
This allows the serine hydroxyl group to point
up and away from the active site to interact with the
ring finger motif (in/up) or down toward the active site
to form a hydrogen bond with Asp238 (in/down). The
in/down conformation is homologous to that observed
in the apo 3Dpol structures from rhinovirus
[18] and coxsackievirus [19,20] and in the catalytically
active closed conformation of the poliovirus EC
[8,21]. The out conformation is the result of an ~ 5-Å
Discussion
Based on an initial crystallographic indication of
structural flexibility in a protein loop that lies adjacent to
the poliovirus polymerase active site and contacts the
RNA template strand in the EC structure, we hypothesized
that this structural element may play a key role in
the polymerase catalytic cycle. We designed a dozen
mutations to probe the function of specific residues
within the loop, solved their structures, and examined
their biochemical activities. The results indicate that this
loop can exist in two dominant orientations and that
mutations restricting loop flexibility result in translocation-deficient
polymerases. Together, the results lead
us to propose that conformational changes within this
loop play a role in mediating RNA translocation after
catalysis in picornaviral RNA-dependent RNA
polymerases.
The structures of 11 different mutants within
residues 288–292 suggest that this loop can exist
in two stable conformations where it is either tucked
into a pocket at the junction of the palm and fingers
domains (in) or flipped out toward the active site in
the palm domain (out). Closer inspection of the in
conformations reveals two orientations of Ser288
whose side chain can flip ≈150° through a combination
of a rotamer change and backbone movement.
This allows the serine hydroxyl group to point
up and away from the active site to interact with the
ring finger motif (in/up) or down toward the active site
to form a hydrogen bond with Asp238 (in/down). The
in/down conformation is homologous to that observed
in the apo 3Dpol structures from rhinovirus
[18] and coxsackievirus [19,20] and in the catalytically
active closed conformation of the poliovirus EC
[8,21]. The out conformation is the result of an ~ 5-Å
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