RNA molecules are very flexible in nature. This feature allows us to build various motifs which are essential in bionanotechnological applications. Based on our earlier developed models of RNA nanoclusters, in this contribution we analyze the structure and properties of RNA nanotubes in physiological solutions at different concentrations. Our major tool here is the molecular dynamics (MD) method that was implemented by using the NAMD and VMD packages, with which we study the structural and thermal properties of the nanotubes in physiological solutions. In particular, we have analyzed such characteristics as the Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD), the radius of gyration, the number of hydrogen bonds per base pairs, and the radial distribution function (RDF) of a RNA nanotube at different concentrations of the physiological solution. Furthermore, the number of ²³Na⁺ and ³⁵Cl⁻ions around the nanotubes within the distance of 5 Å at two different concentrations has also been analyzed in detail. It has been found that the number of ions accumulated around the nanotubes within the particular distance is growing by small amount while the concentrations of the ²³Na⁺ and ³⁵Cl⁻ions are substantially increased.

Date Published: 3 April 2015
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 9434, Nanosensors, Biosensors, and Info-Tech Sensors and Systems 2015, 94340E (3 April 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2087444

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9434:
Nanosensors, Biosensors, and Info-Tech Sensors and Systems 2015
Vijay K. Varadan, Editor(s)