Sub-millimetre wave absorption spectra of artificial RNA molecules

We demonstrate submillimetre-wave Fourier transform spectroscopy as a novel technique for biological molecule characterization. Transmission measurements are reported at frequencies 10–25 cm −1 for single- and double-stranded RNA molecules of known base-pair sequences: homopolymers poly[A], poly[U], poly[C] and poly[G], and double-stranded homopolymers poly[A]–poly[U] and poly[C]–poly[G]. Multiple resonances are observed (i.e. in the microwave through terahertz frequency regime). We also present a computational method to predict the low-frequency absorption spectra of short artificial DNA and RNA. Theoretical conformational analysis of molecules was utilized to derive the low-frequency vibrational modes. Oscillator strengths were calculated for all the vibrational modes in order to evaluate their weight in the absorption spectrum of a molecule. Normal modes and absorption spectra of the double-stranded RNA chain poly[C]–poly[G] were calculated. The absorption spectra extracted from the experiment were directly compared with the results of computer modelling thereby, confirming the fact that observed spectral features result from electromagnetic wave interactions with the DNA and RNA macromolecules. Correlation between experimental spectrum and modelling results demonstrates the ability of normal mode analysis to reproduce RNA vibrational spectra.