Pyle Lab Published in Nature

In this study, Xu, Liu and Chung captured the group II intron ribonucleoprotein (RNP) at different stages of splicing using cryoEM. The high-resolution snapshots allow for a holistic understanding of the catalytic mechanism of splicing and conformational dynamics involved during the transitions between steps of branching, a key biochemical reaction central to RNA biology. Analysis of the group II intron RNP in action reveals the intricate networks of molecular interactions involved in branchpoint adenosine recognition, lariat formation and exon ligation. The study unveils remarkable mechanistic parallels between the group II intron RNP and the spliceosome, as well as sheds new lights on key structural differences between the two splicing machineries that emerge during the molecular evolution of pre-mRNA splicing.

“Structural insights into intron catalysis and dynamics during splicing.”

Ling Xu*, Tianshuo Liu*, Kevin Chung*, and Anna Pyle (2023). Nature.

* equal contribution

Scan the QR code to watch a movie of the group II intron!