A complete conformational map for RNA.
A simple stereochemical framework for understanding RNA structure has remained elusive to date. We present a comprehensive conformational map for two nucleoside-5',3'-diphosphates and for a truncated dinucleotide derived from a grid search of all potential conformers using hard sphere steric exclusion criteria to define allowed conformers. The eight-dimensional conformational space is presented as a series of two-dimensional projections. These projections reveal several well-defined allowed and disallowed regions which correlate well with data obtained from X-ray crystallography of both large and small RNA molecules. Furthermore, the two-dimensional projections show that consecutive and ribose ring-proximal torsion angles are interdependent, while more distant torsion angles are not. Remarkably, using steric criteria alone, it is possible to generate a predictive conformational map for RNA.
Murthy
V L
VL
Department of Biophysics & Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205-2105, USA.
Srinivasan
R
R
Draper
D E
DE
Rose
G D
GD
D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry*
D012313:RNA