Lost in Translation?
There are a lot of complex molecules translating messenger RNA into proteins. Students spend a lot of time thinking about how protein structure translates into functions, but much less about how RNA structures can.
The tRNA model lets students see it!
We have used these tRNA to describe:
RNA loops. If printed in a flexible material, the strand can be straightened. Loops are easy to see even if rigid.
RNA base pairing interactions
RNA base stacking interactions