InterPro domain: IPR002343

Many eukaryotic proteins that are either known or thought to bind single-stranded RNA contain one or more copies of a putative RNA-binding domainof about 90 amino acids [ 1 , 2 ]. This region has been found in, for example,heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins, small nuclear ribonucleoproteins,pre-RNA and mRNA associated proteins, Drosophila sex determination and elavproteins, human paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis antigen HuD, and manyothers.The structure of an RNA-binding domain of Drosophila Sex-lethal (Sxl) protein has been determined using multi-dimensional hetero-nuclear NMR [ 3 ].Sxl contains two RNP consensus-type RNA-binding domains (RBDs) - thedetermined structure represents the second of these (RBD-2) [ 4 ]. Thecalculated intermediate-resolution family of structures exhibits the beta-alpha-beta/beta-alpha-beta tertiary fold found in other RBD-containingproteins [ 4 ].

1. RNA-binding proteins as developmental regulators. Genes Dev. 3, 431-7
2. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles and the pathway of mRNA formation. Trends Biochem. Sci. 13, 86-91
3. Resonance assignments and solution structure of the second RNA-binding domain of sex-lethal determined by multidimensional heteronuclear magnetic resonance. Biochemistry 33, 13775-86