Statistical analysis of RNA backbone.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

Local conformation is an important determinant of RNA catalysis and binding. The analysis of RNA conformation is particularly difficult due to the large number of degrees of freedom (torsion angles) per residue. Proteins, by comparison, have many fewer degrees of freedom per residue. In this work, we use and extend classical tools from statistics and signal processing to search for clusters in RNA conformational space. Results are reported both for scalar analysis, where each torsion angle is separately studied, and for vectorial analysis, where several angles are simultaneously clustered. Adapting techniques from vector quantization and clustering to the RNA structure, we find torsion angle clusters and RNA conformational motifs. We validate the technique using well-known conformational motifs, showing that the simultaneous study of the total torsion angle space leads to results consistent with known motifs reported in the literature and also to the finding of new ones.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Hershkovitz, E; Sapiro, G; Tannenbaum, A; Williams, LD

Published Date

  • January 2006

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 3 / 1

Start / End Page

  • 33 - 46

PubMed ID

  • 17048391

Pubmed Central ID

  • PMC2811324

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1557-9964

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1545-5963

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1109/tcbb.2006.13

Language

  • eng