CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ROLE OF METAL IONS IN RNA FOLDING AND ACTIVATION

这个子项目是利用资源的许多研究子项目之一。 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。对子项目的主要支持 子项目的首席调查员可能是由其他来源提供的， 包括美国国立卫生研究院的其他来源。为子项目列出的总成本可能 表示该子项目使用的中心基础设施的估计数量， 不是由NCRR赠款提供给次级项目或次级项目工作人员的直接资金。 二价阳离子在RNA的折叠和激活中起着至关重要的作用。与DNA不同，DNA的规范结构被很好地定义，而RNA被发现采用了广泛的结构。在许多情况下，RNA采用生物活性结构需要二价阳离子(镁、锰和锌)。最近的核磁共振研究为金属与RNA的独特结合位置提供了直接证据，并表明金属与RNA形成了内球络合物。EXAFS将用于测试这一提议，并更好地定义RNA-金属相互作用的性质。为了明确地定义RNA-金属结合部位，硫代修饰的RNA将被用来标记可能的主链磷酸盐。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Divalent cations play a critical role in the folding and activation of RNA. Unlike DNA, where the canonical structure is well defined, RNAs are found to adopt a wide range of structures. In many cases, divalent cations (Mg2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+) are required for the RNA to adopt a biologically active structure. Recent NMR studies have provided direct evidence for a unique binding site of the metal to the RNA and have suggested that the metal forms an inner-sphere complex with the RNA. EXAFS will be used to test this proposal and to better define the nature of the RNA-metal interaction. In order to define specifically the RNA-metal binding site, thio-modified RNA will be used to label possible backbone phosphates.