Molecular structure of extraordinarily stable RNA: model building and X-ray analysis

A tridecaribonucleotide, rUGAGCUUCGGCUC which adopts the extraordinarily thermally stable hairpin structure, was chemically synthesized. The crystallographic study of this RNA molecule was done. Crystals grew as plates belonging to space group C2 with a = 38.49A b = 32.30A c = 38.76A and beta = 117.56. and one molecule per asymmetric unit. Intensity data were collected at a resolution 2.1A. Structure determination using molecular replacement method has been underway. The favorable three-dimensional model of hairpin was built by molecular dynamics and molecular mechanics calculations.