15N NMR and CD studies of the IRE (iron regulatory element in ferritin mRNA with single base substitution in the hairpin loop.

Noncoding sequences regulate mRNA and DNA function. IREs are a highly conserved family of noncoding mRNA sequences which coordinate ferritin mRNA translation and transferrin receptor mRNA stability by interactions with specific negative regulator protein, the IRP. RNA interactions with the IRP are modulated by cellular iron. The protein IRP binds to the entire IRE causing conformational changes in flanking region [Harrell et al. (1991) PNAS 88:4166-4170). The IRE+FL is the first RNA element encoding both positive and negative translational control and serves as a model mRNA regulatory elements. Folding of the IREs indicated previously by reactivity with chemical and enzymatic probes [E.C Theil (1994) Biochem. J., 304:1-11) is confirmed by using 1H, 15N and 31P (1) NMR) and CD to show that IRE secondary structure [hairpin-hexaloop (HL)/stem/internal loop or bulges] is folded, CD spectra display Mg2+ dependent structural changes in the temperature range used in the studies of IRE function. G/A substitution was shown by NMR and UV-vis to decrease stability of the folded IRE [H.Sierzputowska-Gracz et al. (1995) Nucl. Acids Res. 23:146-153]. A hairpin loop mutation affected only negative translational control.