Abstract
Reverse transcriptases (RTs) can template switch during cDNA synthesis, enabling them to join discontinuous nucleic acid sequences. Template switching plays crucial roles in retroviral replication and recombination, is used for adapter addition in RNA-seq, and may contribute to retroelement fitness by enabling continuous cDNA synthesis on damaged templates. Here, we determined an X-ray crystal structure of a template-switching complex of a group II intron RT bound simultaneously to an acceptor RNA and donor RNA template/DNA heteroduplex with a 1-nt 3’-DNA overhang. The latter mimics a completed cDNA after non-templated addition (NTA) of a nucleotide complementary to the 3’ nucleotide of the acceptor as required for efficient template switching. The structure showed that the 3’ end of the acceptor RNA binds in a pocket formed by an N-terminal extension (NTE) present in non-long-terminal-repeat (LTR)-retroelement RTs and the RT fingertips loop, with the 3’ nucleotide of the acceptor base paired to the 1-nt 3’-DNA overhang and its penultimate nucleotide base paired to the incoming dNTP at the RT active site. Analysis of structure-guided mutations identified amino acids that contribute to acceptor RNA binding and a phenylalanine near the RT active site that mediates NTA. Mutation of the latter residue decreased multiple sequential template switches in RNA-seq. Our results provide new insights into the mechanisms of template switching and NTA by RTs, suggest how these reactions could be improved for RNA-seq, and reveal common structural features for template switching by non-LTR-retroelement RTs and viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases.
Competing Interest Statement
Thermostable group II intron reverse transcriptase enzymes and methods for their use are the subject of patents and patent applications that have been licensed by the University of Texas and East Tennessee State University to InGex, LLC. A. M. Lambowitz, some former and present members of the Lambowitz laboratory, and the University of Texas are minority equity holders in InGex, LLC, and receive royalty payments from the sale of TGIRT enzymes and kits employing TGIRT template-switching activity and from the sublicensing of intellectual property to other companies.
Footnotes
3 The abbreviations used are: cDNA, complementary DNA; CV, column volume; HCV, Hepatitis C virus; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; LINE, long interspersed nuclear element; LTR, long terminal repeat; NTA, non-templated nucleotide addition; NTE, N-terminal extension; RdRP, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase; RT, reverse transcriptase; SMART-Seq, switching mechanism at the 5’ end of the RNA transcript sequencing; SARS-CoV-2, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; spp., species; TGIRT, thermostable group II intron RT; TGIRT-seq, RNA-Seq using a thermostable group II intron RT.