Poster abstracts
Poster number 124 submitted by Matthew Starr
Investigating Oxidative Damage in RNA through Pseudouridinyl Radical Precursors
Matthew J. Starr (Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, The University of Toledo), Raziya Shaik (Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, The University of Toledo), Dr. Amanda C. Bryant-Friedrich (Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, The University of Toledo)
Abstract:
Reactive oxygen species can cause damage to proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids through the generation of free radicals. Oxidative damage in DNA has been studied quite extensively, with comparatively little work done on oxidative damage in RNA. The products resulting from radical initiated alterations to RNA have been shown to play a role in Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The goal of this project is to create a radical precursor that can be used to study oxidative damage in RNA, to determine if the most commonly modified nucleotide found in RNA, pseudouridine, plays a role in the attenuation of oxidative damage. Introduction of a photolabile pivaloyl group at the C3’ and C5’ sites of pseudouridine will allow for the generation of a free radical at these specific positions, to determine if this base modification has any effect on the outcome of oxidative sugar damage in RNA.
References:
1. Shan, Xiu. “Quantification of oxidized RNAs in Alzheimer's disease.” Neurobiology of Aging: 27(5), 2006, 657.
2. Wurtmann, E., & Wolin, S. (2009). “RNA under attack: cellular handling of RNA damage.” Critical Reviews In Biochemistry And Molecular Biology, 44(1), 34-49.
Keywords: pseudouridine, oxidative damage, organic synthesis