Thermodynamic determination of RNA duplex stability in magnesium solutions.

ABSTRACT: The prediction of RNA secondary structure and thermodynamics from sequence relies on free energy minimization and nearest neighbor parameters. Currently, algorithms used to make these predictions are based on parameters from optical melting studies performed in 1 M NaCl. However, many physiological and biochemical buffers containing RNA include much lower concentrations of monovalent cations and the presence of divalent cations. In order to improve these algorithms, thermodynamic data was previously collected for RNA duplexes in solutions containing 71, 121, 221, and 621 mM Na⁺. From this data, correction factors for free energy (ΔG^°₃₇) and melting temperature (T_m) were derived. Despite these newly derived correction factors for sodium, the stabi

SUBMITTER: Arteaga SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9941723 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature