MFE in RNA structure

Question

[Ebtihal]

hi all, Iam working on RNA structure by RNA fold i checked the wild structure and the mutant one the MFE changed from -16.7 (in wild type) to -20 is this stabilizing mutant or destabilizing? Anyone can explain how we can interpret the change in the MFE

Answer 1

[Mensur Dlakic]

Lower free energy - more negative - indicates a more stable structure. Either a larger number of bonds, or the same number of stronger bonds, will make a thermodynamically more stable structure. In the case of structured RNA molecules that usually means replacing an A-T pairing with a G-C pairing, or adding base interactions where they didn't exist before. Keep in mind that a more stable RNA molecule does not always mean a functionally better molecule.

By the way, Google easily answers your main question:

https://www.google.com/search?q=is+lower+Minimum+Free+Energy+better