Predicting RNA-Metal Ion Binding with Ion Dehydration Effects.

ABSTRACT: Metal ions play essential roles in nucleic acids folding and stability. The interaction between metal ions and nucleic acids can be highly complicated because of the interplay between various effects such as ion correlation, fluctuation, and dehydration. These effects may be particularly important for multivalent ions such as Mg²⁺ ions. Previous efforts to model ion correlation and fluctuation effects led to the development of the Monte Carlo tightly bound ion model. Here, by incorporating ion hydration/dehydration effects into the Monte Carlo tightly bound ion model, we develop a, to our knowledge, new approach to predict ion binding. The new model enables predictions for not only the number of bound ions but also the three-dimensional spatial distribution of the bound ions. Fu

SUBMITTER: Sun LZ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6350036 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature