Molecular Mechanism for Folding Cooperativity of Functional RNAs in Living Organisms.

ABSTRACT: A diverse set of organisms has adapted to live under extreme conditions. The molecular origin of the stability is unclear, however. It is not known whether the adaptation of functional RNAs, which have intricate tertiary structures, arises from strengthening of tertiary or secondary structure. Herein we evaluate effects of sequence changes on the thermostability of tRNA^phe using experimental and computational approaches. To separate out effects of secondary and tertiary structure on thermostability, we modify base pairing strength in the acceptor stem, which does not participate in tertiary structure. In dilute solution conditions, strengthening secondary structure leads to non-two-state thermal denaturation curves and has small effects on thermostability, or the temperature at

SUBMITTER: Leamy KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6726375 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature