《生命科学》 2021, 33(3): 281-291

RNA结构解析技术研究进展

蔡兆奎 , 薛愿超^*

中国科学院生物物理研究所核酸生物学重点实验室，北京 100101

摘　要：

在遗传信息传递过程中，RNA往往需要形成复杂的高级结构，以发挥催化和调控功能。RNA结构的动态变化是生命体响应环境信号、快速调节基因表达的一种精巧手段，在正常的生理和病理发生过程中发挥关键作用。解析RNA高级结构是理解细胞内非编码RNA功能机制的必由之路，引起了人们的广泛关注和兴趣，逐渐成为RNA领域的前沿热点。该文主要介绍了RNA结构解析的生物信息学预测方法、低通量物理手段和新兴的高通量测序技术研究进展，并总结了这些方法在RNA结构研究中的应用和局限性。

 

通讯作者：薛愿超 , Email:ycxue@ibp.ac.cn

Research progresses of RNA structure probing technologies

CAI Zhao-Kui , XUE Yuan-Chao^*

Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

Abstract:

RNA molecules usually form intricate secondary and tertiary structures during genetic information transfer to achieve their regulatory and catalytic functions. The dynamic change of RNA structures is an ingenious means for living organisms to adjust gene expression in response to environmental cues quickly. RNA structural
dynamics have been demonstrated to be playing crucial roles in normal physiological processes and pathogenesis. Analyzing the higher-order structure of RNA is the only way to understand the functional mechanism of noncoding RNA in cells. It has received widespread attention and interest and has gradually become a research frontier in the RNA field. This article mainly introduces the progress of diverse RNA structure probing methods, including bioinformatics prediction, low-throughput physical approaches, and emerging high-throughput sequencing
technologies. We also summarize the application and limitations of these research methods.

 

Communication Author：XUE Yuan-Chao , Email:ycxue@ibp.ac.cn