Resolving the Dynamics of the Double Stranded RNA Binding Protein TRBP

Abstract

The TAR RNA binding protein (TRBP) is a double-stranded RNA binding proteins (dsRBP) that plays an important role in HIV replication, immune response and RNAi processing. As an important cofactor of Dicer, it supports the specific cleavage of dsRNA and the loading of this RNA into the Argonaut complex. Like other dsRBPs, TRBP consists of several copies of dsRNA binding domains that are connected by long unstructured linker regions, and TRBP is highly dynamic in its RNA-bound state. The role of this flexibility and the influence of these linker regions are still poorly understood.