NMR AS A PROBE OF METAL ION BINDING SITES IN RNH

金属离子如镁、钾和钠对于核酸三级结构的形成和催化RNA的酶活性是必不可少的。众所周知，镁和钾离子占据了RNA中由复杂的大分子结构形成的特定结合部位。镁、钾和钠具有自然丰度很高的同位素，是半整数自旋四极核。最近的方法和技术进步使这种类型的原子核的固体核磁共振研究成为可能。本研究的目标是应用固体核磁共振作为结构探针来研究这些金属中心和六胺钴离子与核苷酸和核酸的相互作用。

Metal ions such as magnesium, potassium and sodium are essential for the formation of tertiary structure in nucleic acids, and the enzymatic activity of catalytic RNAs. Magnesium and potassium ions are known to occupy specific binding sites in RNA that are formed by sophisticated macromolecular structure. Magnesium, potassium and sodium have isotopes of significant natural abundance that are half- integer spin quadrupole nuclei. Recent methodological and technological advances have allowed for solid state NMR studies of nuclei of this type. It is the goal of this study to apply solid state NMR as a structural probe of the interaction of these metal centers and the cobalt(III) hexammine ion with nucleotides and nucleic acids.