Shape-specific Nucleotide Binding of Single-stranded RNA by the GLD-1 STAR Domain Original Research Article

Proteins containing the STAR RNA-binding domain fulfill vital roles in RNA biogenesis, yet a detailed understanding of STAR domain RNA binding specificity is lacking. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the STAR protein GLD-1 directly binds the 28 nucleotide recognition element TGE within the 3′ untranslated region of tra-2 mRNA. The GLD-1:TGE interaction promotes translational silencing of tra-2 mRNA, marking a pivotal event in the spermatogenesis to oogenesis switch in C. elegans hermaphrodites. By measuring the binding affinities of both GLD-1 and TGE mutants, we have explored the molecular determinants of STAR domain specificity.