Folding RNA with Modified Oligonucleotides

本研究将在波兰进行，为NIH Grant GM22939提供材料支持。本研究的最终目标是表征RNA折叠的力量，并利用这些知识从序列中可靠地预测RNA结构。FIRCA拨款的一个目标是开发一系列寡核苷酸，这些寡核苷酸与RNA的结合足够紧密和特异性，从而通过分析RNA与所有可能的7-聚合体阵列的结合来研究RNA的二级结构。更短的寡核苷酸可能就足够了。该阵列分析的结果将为从序列预测结构的计算机算法提供约束。FIRCA拨款的第二个目标是开发模型系统，用于研究决定多分支回路稳定性的相互作用。

This research will be done in Poland to provide materials to support NIH Grant GM22939. The ultimate goal of the parent grant is to characterize the forces directing RNA folding, and to use this knowledge to reliably predict RNA structure from sequence. One goal of the FIRCA grant is to develop a series of oligonucleotides that bind tightly and specifically enough to RNA to allow interrogation of RNA secondary structure by assaying binding of an RNA to an array of all possible 7-mers. It is possible that even shorter oligonucleotides may be sufficient. The results of this array assay will provide constraints for computer algorithms that predict structure from sequence. A second goal of the FIRCA grant is to develop model systems for studying the interactions that determine the stabilities of multibranch loops.