121k views
1 vote
Which of the following RNA molecules is predicted to undergo internal base pairing to form a stable stem-loop structure.

a. 5'-----AUAUAUAUA--(any 5 bases)--UAUAUAUAU--- --3'-OH

b. 5'-----GCCGCCAG--(any 5 bases)--CUGGCGGC--- --3'-OH

c. 5'-----GAUGCUGC--(any 5 bases)--GAUGCUGC--- --3'-OH

d. 5'----AUAUAUAUA--(TATAAT)-- UAUAUAUAU--- --3'-OH

e. 5'----ATATATATA--(any 5 bases)--TATATAUTAT--- --3'-OH

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

The sequence 5'—GCCGCCAG—(any 5 bases)—CUGGCGGC——3'-OH is predicted to form a stable stem-loop structure because of internal base pairing between complementary cytosine and guanine bases.

Step-by-step explanation:

The RNA molecule predicted to form a stable stem-loop structure through internal base pairing is 5'—GCCGCCAG—(any 5 bases)—CUGGCGGC——3'-OH. This sequence contains complementary bases that are likely to form hydrogen bonds with each other, creating the stem-loop structure. In RNA molecules, cytosine (C) pairs with guanine (G), which allows for the formation of a double-stranded region within the single-stranded RNA molecule. The mentioned sequence has a segment (GCCGCC) that is complementary to another segment (GGCGGC) later in the sequence, providing the basis for the formation of the stem in a stem-loop structure. Other sequences either lack sufficient complementarity or have repeats that do not favor such internal base pairing.

User Andykkt
by
8.2k points
Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.