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Updated: Mar 2, 2026

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers
Published on: August 20, 2014
Real-time crystallographic studies of the adenine riboswitch using an X-ray free-electron laser
Jason R Stagno1, Yuba R Bhandari1, Chelsie E Conrad1
1Structural Biophysics Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA.
Abstract:
Structures of the four reaction states of the adenine riboswitch aptamer domain, including a transient intermediate state were solved by serial femtosecond crystallography. The structures not only demonstrate the use of X-ray free-electron lasers for RNA crystallography but have also proven that transient states can be determined in real time by mix-and-inject crystallography. These results illustrate the structural basis for the ligand-induced conformational changes associated with the molecular 'switch'.
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