Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

RNA-RNA Noncovalent Interactions Investigated by Microspray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2001

Journal Title

Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry

ISSN

0951-4198

Volume

15

Issue

17

First Page

1539

Last Page

1547

DOI

10.1002/rcm.404

PubMed ID

11544590

Abstract

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry is playing an increasing role in the study of noncovalent interactions involving biomolecules. RNA-RNA complexes are important in many areas of biology, including RNA catalysis, RNA splicing, ribosome function, and gene regulation. Here, microelectrospray mass spectrometry (microESI-MS) is used to study noncovalent base-pairing interactions between RNA oligonucleotides, an area not previously explored by this technique. Using a set of complementary RNA oligonucleotides, we demonstrate the formation of the expected double-helical RNA complexes composed of three distinct oligonucleotides. The ability to study specific RNA noncovalent interactions by microESI-MS has the potential to provide a unique method by which to analyze and assign precise molecular masses to RNA-RNA complexes.

Keywords

Base sequence, molecular sequence data, oligonucleotides, protein binding, RNA, spectrometry, mass, electrospray ionization

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