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Small Interfering RNA (siRNA)
Viruses Fight Back
Viruses are tricky and rarely sit still when they are being attacked. They have found ways to fight back against RNA interference. The protein shown here (PDB entry 1r9f) is a suppressor protein made by tomato bushy stunt virus. It binds to siRNA and blocks its use for destruction of viral messenger RNA. Notice how the protein (in blue) acts like a ruler, stacking on each end of the siRNA (in orange and red). In this way, it seeks out and blocks only small pieces of RNA that are the right length to be siRNA.
Last changed by: A.Honegger,