RUI: Thermodynamics of RNA Bulge Loops

RNA与多种生物活性密切相关。在基因表达过程中，它们既是信息分子，又是解码机器的一部分。 生物分子，包括RNA，必须折叠成正确的三维形状，以获得其活性功能形式。从序列预测RNA结构的能力将有助于我们更好地理解RNA及其生物学作用。 该项目的具体目标是表征RNA凸起和发夹环的热力学稳定性。这些研究将联合收割机的RNA双链体的热力学和结构表征，以实现更好地理解的性质的RNA凸起环。本科生将进行所有的调查，包括选择要调查的序列，为他们提供优秀的培训和宝贵的研究经验。 阿勒格尼化学专业的学生在获得学士学位后，在研究生院和专业学校就读的记录非常好。 在过去五年中，这些学生中有九人在化学或生物化学研究生院就读，五人在医学院就读。 学生参加的研究生课程包括耶鲁大学、罗切斯特大学、宾夕法尼亚州立大学、杜克大学和伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳尚潘分校。

RNAs are intimately involved in a wide variety of biological activities. During the process of gene expression, they serve as both the informational molecules and as part of the decoding machinery. Biological molecules, including RNA, must fold into the correct 3-dimensional shape to acquire their active-functional form. The ability to predict of RNA structure from sequence will improve our understanding of RNA and its biological role. The specific aim of this project is to characterize the thermodynamic stability of RNA bulge and hairpin loops. These studies will combine both thermodynamic and structural characterization of the RNA duplexes to achieve a better understanding of the nature of RNA bulge loops. Undergraduate students will perform all of the investigations, including the selection of sequences to be investigated, providing them with excellent training and valuable research experience. Allegheny chemistry students have an excellent track record for attending graduate and professional schools after obtaining their BS degrees. From the last five years, nine of these students are attending graduate school in either chemistry or biochemistry and five are attending medical school. The graduate programs attended by students include Yale University, University of Rochester, Penn State University, Duke University and University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.