Abstract

RNA molecules are known to play critical roles in the processing and expression of genetic information; however, very little is known regarding the three-dimensional structures of conserved, non-helical structures in RNA. In an effort to develop a broad understanding of the tertiary structure of RNA in solution, the properties of several non-helical elements have been examined, including three-helix junctions, bulges, and internal loops, using the method of transient electric birefringence. The birefringence method is well-suited to study the influence of such non- helical elements on adjacent RNA helix. For example, the birefringence approach has yielded the global conformation of a self-cleaving RNA, both pre- and post-cleavage, and has provided the magnitude of the bend associated with the TAR bulge of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). For the upcoming project period, these investigations will continue, and several additional systems will be examined.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM035305-14
Application #
2734527
Study Section
Molecular and Cellular Biophysics Study Section (BBCA)
Project Start
1985-07-01
Project End
1999-06-30
Budget Start
1998-07-01
Budget End
1999-06-30
Support Year
14
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Colorado Denver
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
065391526
City
Aurora
State
CO
Country
United States
Zip Code
80045

  Publications

Mills, Janine B; Hagerman, Paul J (2004) Origin of the intrinsic rigidity of DNA. Nucleic Acids Res 32:4055-9
Frazer-Abel, Ashley A; Hagerman, Paul J (2004) Variation of the acceptor-anticodon interstem angles among mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial tRNAs. J Mol Biol 343:313-25
van Oppen, Madeleine J H; Catmull, Julian; McDonald, Brenda J et al. (2002) The mitochondrial genome of Acropora tenuis (Cnidaria; Scleractinia) contains a large group I intron and a candidate control region. J Mol Evol 55:1-13
Greco, C M; Hagerman, R J; Tassone, F et al. (2002) Neuronal intranuclear inclusions in a new cerebellar tremor/ataxia syndrome among fragile X carriers. Brain 125:1760-71
Tassone, F; Hagerman, R J; Taylor, A K et al. (2001) A majority of fragile X males with methylated, full mutation alleles have significant levels of FMR1 messenger RNA. J Med Genet 38:453-6
Stagg, S M; Frazer-Abel, A A; Hagerman, P J et al. (2001) Structural studies of the tRNA domain of tmRNA. J Mol Biol 309:727-35
Chiang, P W; Carpenter, L E; Hagerman, P J (2001) The 5'-untranslated region of the FMR1 message facilitates translation by internal ribosome entry. J Biol Chem 276:37916-21
Tassone, F; Hagerman, R J; Loesch, D Z et al. (2000) Fragile X males with unmethylated, full mutation trinucleotide repeat expansions have elevated levels of FMR1 messenger RNA. Am J Med Genet 94:232-6
Tassone, F; Hagerman, R J; Chamberlain, W D et al. (2000) Transcription of the FMR1 gene in individuals with fragile X syndrome. Am J Med Genet 97:195-203
Hagerman, P J (2000) Transient electric birefringence for determining global conformations of nonhelix elements and protein-induced bends in RNA. Methods Enzymol 317:440-53

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