Double-stranded RNA resists condensation.

Li Li, Suzette A Pabit, Steve P Meisburger, Lois Pollack

School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.

Physical review letters 2011 Mar 11

filter terms:

Much attention has been focused on DNA condensation because of its fundamental biological importance. The recent discovery of new roles for RNA duplexes demands efficient packaging of double-stranded RNA for therapeutics. Here we report measurements of short DNA and RNA duplexes in the presence of trivalent ions. Under conditions where UV spectroscopy indicates condensation of DNA duplexes into (insoluble) precipitates, RNA duplexes remain soluble. Small angle x-ray scattering results suggest that the differing surface topologies of RNA and DNA may be crucial in generating the attractive forces that result in precipitation.

Citation

Li Li, Suzette A Pabit, Steve P Meisburger, Lois Pollack. Double-stranded RNA resists condensation. Physical review letters. 2011 Mar 11;106(10):108101