Open AccessElements of thermodynamics in RNA evolution.
Author(s) -
Elżbieta Kierzek,
Ewa Biała,
Ryszard Kierzek
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
acta biochimica polonica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.452
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1734-154X
pISSN - 0001-527X
DOI - 10.18388/abp.2001_3932
Subject(s) - rna , folding (dsp implementation) , nucleotide , chemistry , thermal stability , nucleic acid structure , thermodynamics , biochemistry , physics , gene , electrical engineering , engineering , organic chemistry
The paper presents some aspects correlating thermal stability of RNA folding and the occurrence of structural motifs in natural ribonucleic acids. Particularly, the thermodynamic stability of 2'-5' and 3'-5' linked RNA and the contribution of unpaired terminal nucleotides (dangling ends) in secondary (2D) and tertiary (3D) structures of RNA are discussed. Both examples suggest that during evolution nature selected sequences and structures of RNA which are the most thermally stable and efficient for their biological function.