Ah, I read the abstract again and am pretty sure that the pRNA mentioned is not the non-biological pyranosyl RNA, because it comes from a bacteriophage...
Quote:
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The DNA-packaging motor of bacterial virus phi29 contains six DNA-packaging pRNAs (pRNA), which together form a hexameric ring via loop/loop interaction.
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So it must be some kind of packaging RNA.
I am somewhat familiar with viral packaging processes in general. For example, in the lamba virus, a concatomer is a long tandem repeat of viral genomes produced by the host cell, with the copies of the genome being separated by COS sites (nucleotide sequences where proteins will bind). After empty viral heads are produced, the concatomer is processed: proteins bind at the COS sites and package the intervening viral genome into a prefabricated empty viral head: then the tail is attached to produce a complete virion. I guess the phage mentioned in the abstract uses a completely RNA - or a combination protein-RNA - 'machine' to package its genome.
Now that I have a better idea what they are discussing, I'll see what I think as far as OOL is concerned.
Here we report that this pRNA can be redesigned to form a variety of structures and shapes, including twins, tetramers, rods, triangles, and arrays several microns in size via interaction of programmed helical regions and loops. RNA array formation required a defined nucleotide number for twisting of the interactive helix and a palindromic sequence. Such arrays are unusually stable and resistant to a wide range of temperatures, salt concentrations, and pH.
