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Applications Of NMR In Biology

Applications Of NMR In Biology

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a very valuable analytical technique for researchers. It has been used for more than 50 years as an analytical tool. F. Bloch and E. Purcell formulated NMR in 1946 and won the 1952 Nobel Prize in Physics for their work. Biological macromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and organic molecules including pharmaceutical compounds, can be studied using this versatile tool that exploits the magnetic properties of certain nuclei.

RNA Structure

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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RNA Nanostructure Molecular Imaging.

Olivier Piétrement¹, Véronique Arluison^2,3, Christophe Lavelle⁴

¹Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne, UMR 6303 CNRS, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon Cedex, France.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|February 2, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This chapter details a method for analyzing RNA nanostructures using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) at room temperature. The technique enables observation of individual molecular structures for statistical analysis of RNA assemblies and complexes.

Keywords:

Molecular microscopy RNA nanostructure RNA self-assembly RNA–protein complex

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Atomic Scale Structural Studies of Macromolecular Assemblies by Solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Atomic Scale Structural Studies of Macromolecular Assemblies by Solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Published on: September 17, 2017

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Nanotechnology
Microscopy

Background:

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are vital for analyzing RNA nanostructures.
Cryo-TEM offers near-atomic resolution for large RNA complexes, but room-temperature surface analysis is less explored.
Imaging single-stranded DNA and RNA filaments presents challenges due to adsorption techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

To present a method for analyzing RNA nanostructures at room temperature using AFM and TEM.
To enable observation of individual molecular structures and their population variability.
To provide a technique for studying RNA assemblies and RNA-protein complexes.

Main Methods:

Utilizing atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for molecular imaging.
Developing specific protocols for spreading and adsorption of single-stranded RNA molecules onto surfaces.
Analyzing RNA nanostructures and RNA-protein complexes at room temperature.

Main Results:

Demonstration of AFM and TEM for observing a large population of individual RNA nanostructures.
Statistical insights into the variability of RNA nanostructures are obtainable.
Successful application of the method to RNA assemblies and RNA-protein complexes.

Conclusions:

The presented method allows for room-temperature surface analysis of RNA nanostructures using AFM and TEM.
This technique provides a statistical basis for understanding RNA nanostructure variability.
The method is applicable to both RNA assemblies and RNA-protein complexes, advancing molecular imaging of RNA.