Computational Generation of RNA Nanorings

Methods Mol Biol. 2017:1632:19-32. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7138-1_2.

Abstract

A variety of designed RNA ring structures (ranging from triangles to hexagonal rings) have been reported in the scientific literature. Designing self-assembling RNA ring structures from structural motifs is, however, a nontrivial problem as there are many combinations of motifs and linking helices. Moreover, most combinations of motifs and linker helices will not lead to ring closure. A solution to this problem was recently published using a "design-by-catalog" approach where motif combinations that lead to rings are precomputed and tabulated. Here we present a web-browser based workflow for creating RNA rings using Galaxy, a web-based platform that can be used for workflow management. An example of how these RNA rings are generated and processed to create a 3D model of the ring is discussed.

Keywords: Closure; Enumeration; RNA; Ring; Scaffold.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Computational Biology / methods*
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Mutation
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation*
  • RNA / chemistry*
  • RNA / genetics
  • Software
  • Web Browser

Substances

  • RNA