RNA structural motifs that entail hydrogen bonds involving sugar-phosphate backbone atoms of RNA.

ABSTRACT: The growing number of high-resolution crystal structures of large RNA molecules provides much information for understanding the principles of structural organization of these complex molecules. Several in-depth analyses of nucleobase-centered RNA structural motifs and backbone conformations have been published based on this information, including a systematic classification of base pairs by Leontis and Westhof. However, hydrogen bonds involving sugar-phosphate backbone atoms of RNA have not been analyzed systematically until recently, although such hydrogen bonds appear to be common both in local and tertiary interactions. Here we review some backbone structural motifs discussed in the literature and analyze a set of eight high-resolution multi-domain RNA structures. The analyzed RNAs are

SUBMITTER: Ulyanov NB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2915461 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature