Project Grant 2224897

This $300,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences will support research into the structural biology of RNA and RNA-protein interactions through May 2024. Funded under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074), this award to Vanderbilt University will utilize joint cryo neutron/x-ray crystallography techniques to better understand the importance of the 2'-hydroxyl group in RNA's expanded three-dimensional structure compared to DNA. Specifically, the research aims to assess how this functional group influences RNA backbone geometry and folding, and how RNA-binding proteins may sculpt the backbone through interactions with the 2'-hydroxyl orientation. Insights gained will enable refined molecular dynamics simulations of macromolecules and hydration. Structural refinements and data analysis components provide hands-on learning for students. Outcomes include improved models of nucleic acid and water structure to further comprehension of RNA function and interactions.