DEAD-box helicases use ATP hydrolysis to unwind duplex RNA and facilitate RNA or RNA–protein remodelling. One such helicase is Mss116, which targets a particular group II intron in RNA. Here, single-molecule fluorescence was used to monitor the effect of Mss16 on a minimal construct containing this intron. The data show that Mss16 stimulates the sampling of different folded states of the RNA. Moreover, the helicase promotes RNA folding through discrete ATP-independent and ATP-dependent steps.
- Krishanthi S. Karunatilaka
- Amanda Solem
- David Rueda