Ultrashort complementary RNA oligomers, as short as six base pairs in length, are found to exhibit chiral nematic and columnar liquid crystal phases in aqueous solution, through end-to-end adhesion into physically bound, but chemically segmented, polymers. Geometrical constraints indicate that the phosphate helix is continuous along the aggregated chain. The end-to-end adhesion is due to a base-staking type interaction, whose energy and temperature dependence are determined.

Physical polymerization and liquid crystallization of RNA oligomers / G. Zanchetta, T. Bellini, M. Nakata, N.A. Clark. - In: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY. - ISSN 0002-7863. - 130:39(2008 Oct 01), pp. 12864-12865.

Physical polymerization and liquid crystallization of RNA oligomers

G. Zanchetta
Primo
;
T. Bellini
Secondo
;
2008

Abstract

Ultrashort complementary RNA oligomers, as short as six base pairs in length, are found to exhibit chiral nematic and columnar liquid crystal phases in aqueous solution, through end-to-end adhesion into physically bound, but chemically segmented, polymers. Geometrical constraints indicate that the phosphate helix is continuous along the aggregated chain. The end-to-end adhesion is due to a base-staking type interaction, whose energy and temperature dependence are determined.
Settore FIS/07 - Fisica Applicata(Beni Culturali, Ambientali, Biol.e Medicin)
1-ott-2008
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/50325
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