Poster abstracts

Poster number 92 submitted by Shu Zhou

Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Screening of Small Molecules as Potential Ligands for T Box Antiterminator Model RNA

S. Zhou; G. Acquaah-Harrison (Chemistry and Biochemistry Ohio University), I. Maciagiewicz; R. Anupam (Chemistry and Biochemistry Ohio University), A. Nayek; C.M. Orac (Chemistry and Biochemistry Ohio University), A. Zimmerman; S.C. Bergmeier (Chemistry and Biochemistry Ohio University), J.V. Hines (Chemistry and Biochemistry Ohio University), N.J. Green; F.J. Grundy; T.M. Henkin (Microbiology, Ohio State University)

Abstract:
The T box transcription antitermination system has been found in many Gram-positive bacteria. This system contains a highly-conserved sequence of nucleotides known as the T box sequence and regulates transcription through a unique interaction between the tRNA and the 5’ leader region of the nascent mRNA. This interaction involves, in part, the base pairing of the tRNA accepter end with four bases of the antiterminator, which prevents the formation of an alternative terminator secondary structure and results in complete transcription of the gene. In an effort to investigate the potential for molecular modulation of this mechanism, a library of small molecules was synthesized and investigated for their binding affinities to the T box antiterminator model AM1A by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). The initial screening was conducted by adding the ligands to both a functional and a reduced function FRET-labeled antiterminator model RNA. A subset of compounds was selected for further detailed binding studies. The resulting structure-activity relationship results will be reported.

Keywords: T box tranascription antitermination, Ligand, FRET, structure-activity relationship