1,10-Phenanthroline-copper, a footprinting reagent for single-stranded regions of RNAs. |
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Authors: | A Mazumder C B Chen R Gaynor D S Sigman |
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Institution: | Department of Biological Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles 90024-1570. |
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Abstract: | The 1,10-phenanthroline-cuprous complex (OP-Cu) with hydrogen peroxide as a coreactant nicks the single-stranded loops and bulges of RNA stem-loop structures more rapidly than the double-stranded stems. This chemical nuclease is therefore a useful footprinting reagent for these regions and can be used to monitor both intramolecular and intermolecular hybridization of single-stranded domains. The formation of A-form structures characteristic of either RNA-RNA or RNA-DNA duplexes inhibits scission because it blocks the binding site of the coordination complex in single-stranded loops and not because the oxidatively sensitive hydrogens of the ribose moiety are blocked. The C-4' and C-1' hydrogens are accessible to solvent in A-structures. |
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