| Abstract: | In this review we consider several experimental and theoretical approaches for investigation of RNA folding and determination of nucleotides that play an important role upon folding of such molecules as tRNA and several classes of ribozymes. It has been shown that nucleotides in the D- and T-loop regions are the last to be involved in tRNA structure or they are not included in the folding nucleus of tRNA. Using the specially elaborated method SHAPE it has been demonstrated that the model of hierarchical folding which was recognized for a long time is not correct for tRNA folding. In the second part of the given review the algorithms and programs used for the prediction of secondary structures of RNA as well as for modeling of RNA folding are considered. |
