Highly Modular Structure and Ligand Binding by Conformational Capture in a Minimalistic Riboswitch

Abstract

Be prepared: The structure of an synthetic neomycin riboswitch RNA (N1) is investigated by NMR spectroscopy. A largely disordered free structural ensemble also contains a compact conformation that resembles the ligand-bound state thus suggesting a binding mechanism by conformational capture (see scheme, red=ligand).