iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ewan McRae

@emcrae.bsky.social

62 followers 19 following 7 posts

RNA structure and cryo-EM enthusiast.

Posts Replies Media

Ewan McRae @emcrae.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

I'm always happy to hear feedback from my peers, feel free to DM or email me with any questions or thoughts.

000

Ewan McRae @emcrae.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

Read this #preprint on @researchsquare: Base modifications reshape RNA folding landscapes and structure–function relationships in synthetic and natural RNAs www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6...

researchsquare.com

Base modifications reshape RNA folding landscapes and structure–function relationships in synthetic and natural RNAs

Modified bases such as 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and N1-methyl-pseudouridine (N1Ψ) are widely used to reduce the immunogenicity of and enhance the stability and translational efficiency of therapeutic RN...

111

Ewan McRae @emcrae.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

We use cryo EM, MP, FRET and activity assays to understand the effects. The tl;dr is that these base mods don't change the secondary structure (for these RNA) but do alter the tertiary structure and activity through modulation of base-stacking choices at helical junctions.

100

Ewan McRae @emcrae.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

First manuscript from my lab is now under review! To investigate the effects of modified nucleotide bases commonly used in mRNA therapeutics on RNA 3D structure and function, we synthesized two well characterized RNA with either 5mC or N1m-pseudoU.

100

Ewan McRae @emcrae.bsky.social · 11/01/2024

First paper of 2024! This was a very fun and highly collaborative project! www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

pnas.org

PNAS

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...

000

Ewan McRae @emcrae.bsky.social · 29/11/2023

Thanks John! I was considering the cold room for it but have some concern for the bearings seizing up. We will take care and with some luck, hopefully be able to tune in the sweet spot quickly!

110

Ewan McRae @emcrae.bsky.social · 28/11/2023

So I made the bold move to get one of these bad boys so that we can plunge in house ASAP after samples get off the FPLC. I've only ever used vitrobots and Leica GP2 before. Does anyone have any tips for manual plunging or is it just a matter of practice and trial and error? #CryoEM #Vitrification

160