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Related Concept Videos

RNA Structure01:23

RNA Structure

Overview
The basic structure of RNA consists of a five-carbon sugar and one of four nitrogenous bases. Although most RNA is single-stranded, it can form complex secondary and tertiary structures. Such structures play essential roles in the regulation of transcription and translation.
Different Types of RNA Have the Same Basic Structure
There are three main types of ribonucleic acid (RNA): messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). All three RNA types consist of a...
RNA Stability01:53

RNA Stability

Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
RNA Structure01:23

RNA Structure

Overview
The basic structure of RNA consists of a five-carbon sugar and one of four nitrogenous bases. Although most RNA is single-stranded, it can form complex secondary and tertiary structures. Such structures play essential roles in the regulation of transcription and translation.
Different Types of RNA Have the Same Basic Structure
There are three main types of ribonucleic acid (RNA): messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). All three RNA types consist of a...
RNA Stability01:53

RNA Stability

Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
RNA Structure01:19

RNA Structure

The basic structure of RNA consists of a string of ribonucleotides attached by phosphodiester bonds. Although most RNA is single-stranded, it can form complex secondary and tertiary structures. Such structures play essential roles in the regulation of transcription and translation.
Different Types of RNA Have the Same Basic Structure
There are three main types of ribonucleic acid (RNA) involved in protein synthesis: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). All three...
Nucleic Acid Structure01:25

Nucleic Acid Structure

The pentose sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, while in RNA the pentose sugar is ribose. The difference between the sugars is the presence of the hydroxyl group on the ribose's second carbon and a hydrogen on the deoxyribose's second carbon. The phosphate residue attaches to the hydroxyl group of the 5′ carbon of one sugar and the hydroxyl group of the 3′ carbon of the sugar of the next nucleotide, which forms  a 5′ to 3′ phosphodiester linkage.
DNA Structure
DNA has a double-helix structure. The...

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Mapping RNA-RNA Interactions Globally Using Biotinylated Psoralen
11:32

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Published on: May 24, 2017

Informational complexity and functional activity of RNA structures.

James M Carothers1, Stephanie C Oestreich, Jonathan H Davis

  • 1Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114 USA.

Journal of the American Chemical Society
|April 22, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Increasing RNA structural complexity enhances binding activity but reduces abundance. This study quantifies the information cost of tighter binding in RNA aptamers and ribozymes, suggesting a general principle for molecular function.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Bioinformatics

Background:

  • The distribution of functional nucleic acid and protein sequences in sequence space remains largely unexplored.
  • Understanding the relationship between molecular complexity and biochemical activity is crucial for fields like synthetic biology and drug discovery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between structural complexity and functional activity in RNA molecules.
  • To quantify the information required to specify RNA structures with varying binding affinities and catalytic efficiencies.

Main Methods:

  • Experimentally measured the information content needed to define optimal binding structures for eleven distinct GTP-binding RNA aptamers.
  • Compared the structural complexity and activity of two catalytic RNA (ribozyme ligase) molecules.
  • Analyzed the abundance of functional RNA sequences in random sequence pools.

Main Results:

  • A 10-fold increase in binding affinity for RNA aptamers required approximately 10 additional bits of information, equivalent to five nucleotide positions.
  • This increase in information content correlated with a 1000-fold decrease in sequence abundance.
  • A similar complexity-activity relationship was observed for catalytic RNAs, suggesting a general principle.

Conclusions:

  • A direct correlation exists between the information required to specify an RNA's structure and its functional activity.
  • This principle may extend to other biological and synthetic heteropolymers, offering a method for objective functional comparison.
  • The findings could aid in predicting the functional potential of novel molecular sequences.