Theophylline aptamer
Timeline
First demonstrated that the aptamer could be linked to stem II of a self-cleaving hammerhead ribozyme[2]
Determination of RNA structural interactions in the theophylline ligand binding site using NMR techniques[3]
First discovery of theophylline-reactive riboswitches for controlling gene expression in vivo[4]
Demonstrated that the aptamer can be truncated to a 13-mer aptamer and still retain selective binding[6]
Theophylline-controlled 'anti-switch' found to control green fluorescent protein expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae[7]
Young and Deiters added a second level of control by photocaging the theophylline ligand, resulting in a photochemical activation of the ribozyme by liberation of the caging group[8]
A flow cytometry-based screen for identifying synthetic riboswitches that induce robust increases in gene expression in the presence of theophylline[10]
Using a computational model, Penchovsky developed and tested a theophyllinehammerhead ribozyme fusion that was inactivated with a 30-fold dynamic range[11]
Description
In 1994, Zimmermann et al. used SELEX to screen the solution structures of high-affinity RNA aptamers with theophylline. in1997 the interaction of RNA structures in the ligand-binding site was visualised using NMR techniques. in1998 it was found that U27 and G27 RNAs bound theophylline with low affinity (Kd values > 4 μM). the NMR spectra of U27 RNA showed the presence of an A7-U27 base pair in the free RNA that prevented the formation of a key base platform motif. NMR spectroscopy of U27 RNA revealed the presence of the A7-U27 base pair in free RNA, which prevented the formation of structural motifs in the critical base platform, and these interactions inhibited theophylline binding[3,4,7].SELEX
Robert D. Jenison et al. used SELEX to screen for RNA molecules with affinity for theophylline, generated a pool of 1014 RNA molecules that contain a 40-nucleotide region of random sequence. The RNA pool was added to a Sepharose column to which 1-carboxypropyl theophylline was covalently cross-linked. Bound RNA was eluted by the addition of 0.1 M theophylline. The eluted RNA was converted to DNA and amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as described[1].
Detailed information are accessible on SELEX page.
Structure
2D representation
Here we use ribodraw to complete the figure, through the 3D structure information. TCT8-4 was the aptamer sequence mainly studied in SELEX article.[3].
5'-GGCAUACCAGCCGAAAGGCCCUUGGCAGCGUC-3'
3D visualisation
Zimmermann et al, by using NMR and X-PLOR 3.113 calculations, demonstrated the solution structure of the high-affinity RNA theophylline complex, with the C27 nucleotide being the key residue that recognizes theophylline and distinguishes it from caffeine, which has a PDB ID of 1EHT[3].Additional available structures that have been solved and detailed information are accessible on Structures page.
(Clicking the "Settings/Controls info" to turn Spin off)
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Binding pocket
Left: Surface representation of the binding pocket of the aptamer generated from PDB ID: 1EHT by NMR. Theophylline (shown in sticks) is labeled in yellow. Right: The hydrogen bonds of binding sites of the aptamer bound with theophylline.Ligand information
SELEX ligand
Zimmermann et al. The binding properties of specific RNAs obtained from the theophylline SELEX experiments were determined by using SELEX, PCR, counter-SELEX. by equilibrium filtration analyses using Equilibrium filtration analysis was performed on theophylline, a 38-nucleotide truncated version of TCT8-4 RNA and theophylline, TCT8-4 RNA (mTCT8-4) to determine the minimum requirement for high-affinity binding to theophylline. Minimum requirement for high affinity binding to theophylline. This RNA interacts with theophylline with a Kd of 0.1uM, confirming that all structural determinants required for theophylline binding are contained in this truncated RNA[3].Structure ligand
A methylxanthine derivative from tea with diuretic, smooth muscle relaxant, bronchial dilation, cardiac and central nervous system stimulant activities. Mechanistically, theophylline acts as a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, adenosine receptor blocker, and histone deacetylase activator. Theophylline is marketed under several brand names such as Uniphyl and Theochron, and it is indicated mainly for asthma, bronchospasm, and COPD.-----From DrugBank
PubChem CID | Molecular Formula | MW | CAS | Solubility | Drugbank ID |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2153 | C7H8N4O2 | 180.16 g/mol | 58-55-9 | 7360mg/L (at 25 °C) | DB00277 |
Similar compound
We screened the compounds with great similarity totheophylline by using the ZINC database and showed some of the compounds' structure diagrams. For some CAS numbers not available,we will supplement them with Pubchem CID.
Zinc_id | Named | CAS | Pubchem CID | Structure |
---|---|---|---|---|
ZINC18043251 | Theophylline | 58-55-9 | 2153 | |
ZINC13517144 | 1-Methylxanthine | 6136-37-4 | 80220 | |
ZINC4685854 | 3-Methylxanthine | 1076-22-8 | 70639 | |
ZINC100018165 | 8-Chlorotheophylline | 85-18-7 | 10661 | |
ZINC100005670 | 8-Bromotheophylline | 10381-75-6 | 11808 | |
ZINC1084 | caffeine | 21399 | 2519 | |
ZINC8616085 | 3-Methylguanine | 2958-98-7 | 76292 | |
ZINC100043983 | 1,3-Dimethyluric acid | 944-73-0 | 70346 | |
ZINC403604 | Isocaffeine | 519-32-4 | 1326 |
References
[1] High-resolution molecular discrimination by RNA.Jenison, R. D., Gill, S. C., Pardi, A., & Polisky, B.
Science (New York, N.Y.), 263(5152), 1425–1429. (1994)
[2] Rational design of allosteric ribozymes.
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Chemistry & biology, 4(6), 453–459. (1997)
[3] Interlocking structural motifs mediate molecular discrimination by a theophylline-binding RNA.
Zimmermann, G. R., Jenison, R. D., Wick, C. L., Simorre, J. P., & Pardi, A.
Nature structural biology, 4(8), 644–649. (1997)
[4] A semiconserved residue inhibits complex formation by stabilizing interactions in the free state of a theophylline-binding RNA.
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[7] Molecular interactions and metal binding in the theophylline-binding core of an RNA aptamer.
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[9] Unnatural base pairs mediate the site-specific incorporation of an unnatural hydrophobic component into RNA transcripts.
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