This proposal is to study the interaction of mRNA and an associated protein, com. The mRNA and the protein will first be purified and characterized individually by a series of biophysical techniques, including chemical and enzymatic susceptibility, 2-dimensional NMR and fluorescence. The interactions between the mom RNA and the com protein will then be investigated. These interactions allow the mRNA to be translated, and will add to understanding of RNA-protein structure-function relationships. %%% Before mRNA is translated, it bind to a protein called com. This interaction changes the structure of the RNA to allow access to the site where initiation of translation occurs. The RNA and protein will be studied independently by a variety of techniques, then combined and re-examined as a complex.
