title: Nonenzymatic ligation of an RNA oligonucleotide analyzed by atomic force microscopy.
abstract: The products of ligation reaction of a 24 nucleotides long PolyA RNA adsorbed on mica were observed by atomic force microscopy. The occurrence of oligonucleotides at different degrees of polymerization has been quantitatively studied before and after ligation reaction. The microscopy images at the nanoscale show that nonenzymatic ligation of pristine RNA monomers results in the formation of supramolecular aggregates, with prevalence of dimers and tetramers. Analytical conditions were defined allowing the identification, the quantitative evaluation, and their distribution after ligation reaction, also providing an estimate of the degree of hydration of the objects. Such investigation is of particular biological relevance and provides the simplest yet model system for direct investigation of RNA reactions by advanced microscopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Samanta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pino
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biasiucci
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scardamaglia
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gigli
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Betti
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Mauro
mesh_terms: D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D011061:Poly A / Q000737:chemistry*; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D009843:Oligoribonucleotides; D011061:Poly A; D012313:RNA