The mRNA interactomes of the homologous Sinorhizobium meliloti trans-sRNAs AbcR1 and AbcR2 determined by MS2-affinity purification coupled with RNA sequencing (MAPS).

AbcR1/2 tagged at their 5-ends with the MS2 aptamer were used as baits in affinity chromatography with an MS2-MBP fusion protein immobilized on an amylose resin. Wild type sRNAs (without MS2) were used as controls. Co-purified mRNAs were sequenced on an Illumina platform. Mapping of the sequencing reads to the S. meliloti genome revealed massive AbcR1/2 base-pairing to mRNAs encoding transport/metabolic proteins.

将5'端标记有MS2适体（MS2 aptamer）的AbcR1/2作为诱饵，与固定于直链淀粉树脂的MS2-麦芽糖结合蛋白（MBP）融合蛋白进行亲和层析实验；以不含MS2适体的野生型小RNA（small RNA, sRNA）作为对照。将共纯化得到的信使RNA（mRNA）在Illumina测序平台上进行测序。将测序读段比对至苜蓿中华根瘤菌（S. meliloti）基因组后，发现AbcR1/2可与大量编码转运/代谢蛋白的mRNA发生广泛碱基配对。