title: RNA surfaces as functional mimetics of proteins.
abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests that RNA molecules can form surfaces that mimic those of proteins. Reactivity of autoantibodies with RNA surfaces may be due to cross-reactivity between a protein epitope and the RNA. The structural mimicry detected by an autoantibody may reflect functional mimicry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Keene
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001483:Base Sequence; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D000939:Epitopes; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012313:RNA