RNA structure elucidation using site-specific dynamic nuclear polarization in the solid state (A10*)

• Subject Area: Biophysics
• Term: from 2015 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 161793742

Site-specific dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) on RNA is a potential method for extracting structural information using magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR. We will investigate several techniques for intramolecular labeling of RNA with paramagnetic polarizing agents, including substitution of natively bound Mg2+ with Mn2+, binding of paramagnetically labeled ligands, and site-directed incorporation of paramagnetic tags based on metal chelates. This allows us to extract medium- to long-range distance constraints for multiple nuclei at once and extend the toolbox of biological NMR towards systems which cannot be effectively investigated using conventional NMR

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 902: Molecular Principles of RNA-based Regulation
• Applicant Institution: Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
• Project Head: Professor Dr.-Ing. Björn Corzilius