Preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of an RNA pseudoknot that inhibits HIV-1 reverse transcriptase

Crystals of a 26-nucleotide pseudoknot RNA, PK26, have been grown. The RNA was produced using phosphoramidite chemistry and was purified by denaturing polyacrylamide electrophoresis. The crystallization was robust with respect to changes in the number of nucleotides and to the salt used as precipitant. The crystals belong to space group P4₁22 or P4₃22 with unit-cell dimensions a = b = 61.6, c = 98.9 Å. The best crystals diffract X-rays to 2.9 Å. Three different sequences incorporating a single 5-bromo-deoxyuridine or 5-bromo-uridine nucleotide were also crystallized. Two of these derivatives are being used to determine the structure by multiple isomorphous replacement.