title: Novel conformation of an RNA structural switch.
abstract: The RNA duplex, (5'GACGAGUGUCA)(2), has two conformations in equilibrium. The nuclear magnetic resonance solution structure reveals that the major conformation of the loop, 5'GAGU/3'UGAG, is novel and contains two unusual Watson-Crick/Hoogsteen GG pairs with G residues in the syn conformation, two A residues stacked on each other in the center of the helix with inverted sugars, and two bulged-out U residues. The structure provides a benchmark for testing approaches for predicting local RNA structure and a sequence that allows the design of a unique arrangement of functional groups and/or a conformational switch into nucleic acids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642, United States.
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Ryszard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kierzek
authors.forename: Douglas H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012313:RNA