I'm always happy to hear feedback from my peers, feel free to DM or email me with any questions or thoughts.

Read this #preprint on @researchsquare: Base modifications reshape RNA folding landscapes and structure–function relationships in synthetic and natural RNAs
www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6...

We use cryo EM, MP, FRET and activity assays to understand the effects. The tl;dr is that these base mods don't change the secondary structure (for these RNA) but do alter the tertiary structure and activity through modulation of base-stacking choices at helical junctions.

First manuscript from my lab is now under review! To investigate the effects of modified nucleotide bases commonly used in mRNA therapeutics on RNA 3D structure and function, we synthesized two well characterized RNA with either 5mC or N1m-pseudoU.

First paper of 2024!

This was a very fun and highly collaborative project!

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Thanks John! I was considering the cold room for it but have some concern for the bearings seizing up.
We will take care and with some luck, hopefully be able to tune in the sweet spot quickly!

So I made the bold move to get one of these bad boys so that we can plunge in house ASAP after samples get off the FPLC. I've only ever used vitrobots and Leica GP2 before. Does anyone have any tips for manual plunging or is it just a matter of practice and trial and error?
#CryoEM
#Vitrification