Chemistry Faculty

Biochemistry

Courses recently taught

We are interested in the chemical mechanisms by which components of the cellular environment affect the structural stability and folding of nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA. Biomolecules are often studied under dilute solution conditions, which are in contrast to actual cellular conditions, where macromolecules occupy a significant fraction of the cellular volume and other small molecules (osmolytes) accumulate in response to environmental stress. By utilizing a variety of spectroscopic techniques including UV-Vis, CD, fluorescence, and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), we can observe the effects of potential nucleic acid effectors, both large and small, on the stability and folding of key secondary structural motifs (Specific Aim I) and on small functional nucleic acids (Specific Aim II). Results from these studies will contribute to the understanding of how nucleic acids function in vivo.

Representative Publications

Patel, S., Blose J. M., Sokoloski, J. E., Pollack, L., Bevilacqua, P. C. "Specificity of the double-stranded RNA-binding domain from the RNA-activated protein kinase PKR for double-stranded RNA: insights from thermodynamics and small-angle X-ray scattering." Biochemistry, 2012, 51, 9312–9322.

Blose, J. M., Pabit, S. A., Meisburger, S. P., Li, L., Jones, C. D., Pollack, L. "Effects of a protecting osmolyte on the ion atmosphere surrounding DNA duplexes." Biochemistry, 2011, 50, 8540-8547.

Blose, J. M., Lloyd, K. P., Bevilacqua, P. C. "Portability of the GN(R)A hairpin loop motif between RNA and DNA." Biochemistry, 2009, 48, 8787-8794.

Blose, J. M., Proctor, D. J., Veeraraghavan, N., Misra, V. K., Bevilacqua, P. C. "Contribution of the closing base pair to exceptional stability in RNA tetraloops: Roles for molecular mimicry and electrostatic factors." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131, 8474-8484.

Blose, J. M., Silverman, S. K., Bevilacqua, P. C. "A simple molecular model for thermophilic adaptation in functional nucleic acids." Biochemistry, 2007, 46, 4232-4240.