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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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Real-time Imaging of Single Engineered RNA Transcripts in Living Cells Using Ratiometric Bimolecular Beacons
12:20

Real-time Imaging of Single Engineered RNA Transcripts in Living Cells Using Ratiometric Bimolecular Beacons

Published on: August 6, 2014

Visualizing large RNA molecules in solution.

Ajaykumar Gopal1, Z Hong Zhou, Charles M Knobler

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. agopal@chem.ucla.edu

RNA (New York, N.Y.)
|December 23, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Long single-stranded RNAs (ssRNAs) adopt a generic flattened, prolate shape in solution, regardless of sequence. This structural anisotropy correlates directly with secondary structure, impacting their 3D form and size.

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Area of Science:

  • Structural biology
  • Biophysics
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Long single-stranded RNAs (ssRNAs) lack a defined 3D structure in solution.
  • Their properties represent an average over numerous possible conformations.
  • Understanding ssRNA ensemble structures is crucial for deciphering their biological functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the three-dimensional (3D) shape and structural anisotropy of long ssRNAs in solution.
  • To determine if the observed shape is a generic property of long ssRNAs.
  • To investigate the relationship between ssRNA secondary structure and its overall 3D conformation.

Main Methods:

  • Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to image individual ssRNA molecules.
  • Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for ensemble structural analysis.
  • Coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) simulations to model ssRNA behavior.

Main Results:

  • Long ssRNAs adopt a flattened, prolate ellipsoidal shape in solution.
  • This shape is consistent across different sequences (viral and noncoding) and lengths.
  • Structural anisotropy is maintained under varying ionic conditions, linking secondary structure to 3D shape.

Conclusions:

  • The flattened prolate geometry is a generic characteristic of long ssRNAs.
  • ssRNA secondary structure asymmetry directly dictates its 3D shape and dimensions.
  • This finding has significant implications for understanding RNA folding, function, and interactions in biological systems.