| David Bengali (2007) | |||||||||||||
Abstract | |||||||||||||
| RNA folding pathways are proving to be quite important in the determination of RNA function. Studies indicate that RNA may enter intermediate conformational states that are key to its functionality. These states may have a significant impact on gene expression. It is known that the biologically functional states of RNA molecules may not correspond to their minimum energy state. Specifically, kinetic barriers may exist that trap the molecule in a local minimum. In addition, folding often occurs during transcription, and cases exist in which a molecule will undergo transitions between one or more functional conformations before reaching its native state. Thus, methods for simulating the folding pathway of an RNA molecule and locating significant intermediate states are important for the prediction of RNA structure and its associated function. | |||||||||||||
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