::Ph.D. thesis::
Andersen ES. (2006) "The Structure,
Function and Evolution of HIV-1 RNA". PhD Thesis. Department
of Molecular Biology and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center,
University of Aarhus: 1-163.
This PhD thesis presents an interdisciplinary
study using a new combination of methods from bioinformatics, biochemistry
and biophysics. The main finding was a novel palindrome structure
in the regulatory ends of the HIV-1 RNA genome. This finding suggests
a new model for how the virus copies its genome. Evidence is provided
that the palindrome is evolutionary conserved in the related primate
viruses, and its structure and function are investigated by biochemical
and nanotechnological methods. With Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
individual molecules of the HIV-1 RNA were visualised, thereby
revealing that they form large circles involving the novel palindrome
structure. Further structural studies were done using Small-Angle
Scattering X-ray Scattering (SAXS) to investigate the structure
of HIV-1 RNA in solution. Finally, new software and analysis methods
were developed to discover RNA structure using the large amount
of biological sequence data available. Taken as a whole, the thesis
represents and interdisciplinary combination of methods that might
provide a strong framework for the discovery and characterisation
of RNA molecules in general.
The thesis defence was held on the 28th of September 2006 with
the opponents Prof. Eric
Westhof and Prof. Jotun
Hein, University
of Oxford, and head of committee sProf. Poul
Nissen, University
of Aarhus.
The thesis is available as a hyperlinked
pdf-file (39 MB). If you want a pdf-version or a
printed version please send a request to esa@mb.au.dk.
