ERIC Number: EJ1234589
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Nov
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Predicting and Visualizing 5S rRNA Structures Using Bioinformatics Tools to Help Students Learn RNA Structure and Function While Gaining Computer Research Skills
Sun, Ji-Zheng; Tang, Yu-Jing; Sa, Rong-Bo; Gao, Yan-Xia
Journal of Chemical Education, v96 n11 p2611-2616 Nov 2019
A bioinformatics laboratory experiment was designed to help undergraduate students learn RNA structure and function in biochemistry courses. In this laboratory experiment, students used 5S rRNAs as material to predict secondary structure and visualize three-dimensional (3D) structure. Students first downloaded molecular information from the 5S rRNA Database and the Protein Data Bank, then predicted secondary structures using the RNA prediction tools Mfold and LocARNA, and last observed 3D structures with the visualization tool Jmol. Students gained basic bioinformatics skills and enhanced their understanding about RNA by using these sequential operations and RNA bioinformatics tools. Their learning outcomes were assessed by pre- and postlaboratory examinations as well as the corresponding questionnaire. The evaluation results showed that this bioinformatics laboratory experiment is suitable and helpful for learning RNA structure and function.
Descriptors: Science Laboratories, Laboratory Experiments, Science Experiments, Information Science, Undergraduate Students, College Science, Biochemistry, Genetics, Molecular Structure, Scientific Concepts, Concept Formation, Computer Assisted Instruction, Educational Technology
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

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