Structural Basis of Transfer Ribonucleic Acid Function

发生构象变化的性质和速率 在转移RNA（tRNA）中，当它与 参与蛋白质合成的大分子成分 仍然不清楚。 核磁共振（NMR）是一种 强大的，非破坏性的方法来研究结构， tRNA在溶液中的构象和动力学性质。 虽然大多数NMR研究涉及蛋白质NMR，但F-19 NMR 具有检测灵敏度高， 大范围的化学位移和高灵敏度， 核的环境。 霍洛维茨博士正在用高分辨率的F-19核磁共振来探测 5-氟尿嘧啶（FUra）取代的 e.因为它们与功能有关。 解释 分子水平的结果需要可靠的峰 分配;大约一半的共振在F-19 对缬氨酸tRNA的核磁共振谱进行了归属。 这 该项目将扩大到包括实验， 分子片段和杂合tRNA分子、化学的 修饰的研究和调查的tRNA与 特定的FUra残基被其他碱基取代， 重组DNA技术。 然后将用于 确定F-19光谱中剩余的峰值

The nature and rate of conformational changes that take place in transfer RNA (tRNA) as it interacts with the macromolecular components involved in protein synthesis remain unclear. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a powerful, non-destructive method for studying the structure, conformation and dynamic properties of tRNA in solution. While most NMR studies have involved protein NMR, F-19 NMR offers the advantages of high sensitivity to detection, a large range of chemical shifts and great sensitivity to the environment of the nucleus. Dr. Horowitz is using high resolution F-19 NMR to probe conformational changes in 5-fluorouracil (FUra)-substituted E. coli tRNAs as they relate to function. Interpretation of results at the molecular level requires reliable peak assignments; approximately half the resonances in the F-19 NMR spectrum of the valine tRNA have been assigned. This project will be expanded to include experiments with molecular fragments and hybrid tRNA molecules, chemical modification studies and the investigation of tRNAs with specific FUra residues replaced with other bases by recombinant DNA techniques. Then will be used in assigning the remaining peaks in the F-19 spectrum.