RNA samples a wide range of tertiary structures, significantly more than DNA. However, at the secondary structural level RNA is limited to the canonical A form while DNA samples a range of canonical conformations including the A, B and Z forms.  To understand this dichotomy, a combined QM/Bioinformatics study was undertaken, from which a model of the impact of the orientation of the 2'hydroxyl on the intrinsic energetics of the phosphodiester backbone was developed.  The development of the model and how the phosphodiester backbone energetics contribute to the conformational properties of RNA will be presented.

Intrinsic contribution of the 2'-hydroxyl to RNA conformational heterogeneity

245th National Meeting (2013)

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