On infrared spectroscopic analysis of transfer RNA secondary structure

Various techniques of IR spectroscopy in the 1550-1750 cm-1 region employed to analyse the tRNA secondary structure are discussed and a novel improved method is proposed. The main novel features of this method are the approximation of tRNA helical region spectra by catalogue carbonyl absorption bands and approximation of tRNA nonhelical region spectra by those of homopolyribonucleotides. The IR spectra of tRNAyeastphe and tRNAE.colifmet in the carbonyl vibration region are explained on the basis of calculated transition moment coupling. (author)