RNA SEEING DOUBLE - CLOSE-PACKING OF HELICES IN RNA TERTIARY STRUCTURE

Structured RNA molecules play essential roles in RNA processing, chrom osome maintenance and protein biosynthesis. RNA necessarily uses diffe rent strategies than proteins for folding and assembly of complex arch itectures. The RNA-folding problem is largely an issue of helical pack ing: how does RNA organize and pack short, double-helical segments to produce active sites and recognition motifs for proteins? Noncanonical base pairs, metal ions and 2'-hydroxyl groups are key elements in RNA higher-order structure formation.