The functional Aa-RNase III dimer is formed via mainly hydrophobic interactions, including a "ball-and-socket" junction that ensures accurate alignment of the two monomers. The fold of the polypeptide chain and its dimerization create a valley with two compound active centers at each end of the valley. The valley can accommodate a dsRNA substrate. Mn(2+) binding has significant impact on crystal packing, intermolecular interactions, thermal stability, and the formation of two RNA-cutting sites within each compound active center.

HPPK-HP-MgAMPCPP mimics most closely the natural ternary complex of HPPK and provides details of protein-substrate interactions. The coordination of the two Mg(2+) ions helps create the correct geometry for the one-step reaction of pyrophosphoryl transfer, for which we suggest an in-line single displacement mechanism with some associative character in the transition state. The rigidity of the adenine-binding pocket and hydrogen bonds are responsible for adenosine specificity. The nonconserved residues that interact with the substrate might be responsible for the species-dependent properties of an isozyme.

Ribonuclease III (RNase III) represents a family of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) endonucleases. The simplest bacterial enzyme contains an endonuclease domain (endoND) and a dsRNA binding domain (dsRBD). RNase III can affect RNA structure and gene expression in either of two ways: as a dsRNA-processing enzyme that cleaves dsRNA, or as a dsRNA binding protein that binds but does not cleave dsRNA. We previously determined the endoND structure of Aquifex aeolicus RNase III (Aa-RNase III) and modeled a catalytic complex of full-length Aa-RNase III with dsRNA. Here, we present the crystal structure of Aa-RNase III in complex with dsRNA, revealing a noncatalytic assembly. The major differences between the two functional forms of RNase III.dsRNA are the conformation of the protein and the orientation and location of dsRNA. The flexibility of a 7 residue linker between the endoND and dsRBD enables the transition between these two forms.