New developments in structure determination of pseudoknots

Abstract

Recently, several high-resolution structures of-RNA pseudoknots have become available. Here we review the progress in this area. The majority of the structures obtained belong to the classical or H-type pseudoknot family. The most complicated pseudoknot structure elucidated so far is the Hepatitis Delta Virus ribozyme, which forms a nested double pseudoknot. In particular, the structure-function relationships of the H-type pseudoknots involved in translational frameshifting have received much attention. All molecules considered show interesting new structural motifs.