RNA Helicases

This volume of Methods in Enzymology aims to provide a reference for the diverse, powerful tools used to analyze RNA helicases. The contributions in this volume cover the broad scope of methods in the research on these enzymes. Several chapters describe quantitative biophysical and biochemical approaches to study molecular mechanisms and conformational changes of RNA helicases. Further chapters cover structural analysis, examination of co-factor effects on several representative examples, and the analysis of cellular functions of select enzymes. Two chapters outline approaches to the analysis of inhibitors that target RNA helicases.

1. Analysis of Duplex Unwinding by RNA Helicases Using Stopped Flow Fluorescence Spectroscopy
2. Analyzing ATP Utilization by DEAD-box RNA Helicases Using Kinetic and Equilibrium Methods
3. Oxygen Isotopic Exchange Probes of ATP Hydrolysis by RNA Helicases
4. Conformational Changes of DEAD-box Helicases Monitored by Single Molecule Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
5. RNA Catalysis as a Probe for Chaperone Activity of DEAD-box Helicases
6. Molecular Mechanics of RNA Translocases
7. Analysis of Helicase-RNA Interactions Using Nucleotide Analog Interference Mapping
8. Crystallization and X-ray Structure Determination of an RNA-dependent Hexameric Helicase
9. Structural Analysis of RNA Helicases with Small-angle X-ray Scattering
10. Analysis of Co-factor Effects on RNA Helicases
11. Analysis of DEAD-box Proteins in mRNA Export
12. Biochemical Characterization of the RNA Helicase UPF1 Involved in Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay
13. Identification of RNA Helicase Target Sites by UV Crosslinking and Analysis of cDNA (CRAC)
14. In Vivo Approaches to Dissecting the Function of RNA Helicases in Eukaryotic Ribosome Assembly
15. Analysis of RNA Helicases in P-bodies and Stress Granules
16. DEAD box RNA Helicases as Transcription Co-factors
17. DEAD-box RNA Helicases in Gram-positive RNA-decay
18. RNA Helicases in Cyanobacteria: Biochemical and Molecular Approaches
19. Determination of Host RNA Helicases Activity in Viral Replication
20. Inhibitors of Translation Targeting Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 4A
21. Identification and Analysis of Inhibitors Targeting the Hepatitis C Virus NS3 Helicase