Secondary structures of Tetrahymena thermophila rRNA IVS sequence involved in its self-splicing reactions: a new computer analysis.

The secondary structures of Tetrahymena thermophila rRNA IVS sequence involved in the self-splicing reactions, are theoretically investigated with a refined computer method previously proposed, able to select a set of the deepest free energy RNA secondary structures under constraints of model hypotheses and experimental evidences. The secondary structures obtained are characterized by the close proximity of self-reactions sites and account for double mutations experiments, and differential digestion data.