The dynamic mechanisms by which RNAs acquire biologically functional structures are of increasing importance to the rapidly expanding fields of RNA therapeutics and biotechnology. Large energy barriers separating misfolded and functional states arising from alternate base pairing are a well-appreciated characteristic of RNA. In contrast, it is typically assumed that functionally folded RNA occu...

We have observed resonant energy transfer between cold Rydberg atoms in spatially separated cylinders. Resonant dipole-dipole coupling excites the 49s atoms in one cylinder to the 49p state while the 41d atoms in the second cylinder are transferred down to the 42p state. We have measured the production of the 49p state as a function of separation of the cylinders (0-80 microm) and the interacti...

We investigate the energy transfer dynamics in a donor-acceptor model by developing a time-local master equation technique based on a variational transformation of the underlying Hamiltonian. The variational transformation allows a minimisation of the Hamiltonian perturbation term dependent on the system parameters, and consequently results in a versatile master equation valid over a range of s...

Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy is a powerful spectroscopy that allows one to investigate the nature of local excitations and energy transfer in the system of interest. We study inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy for topological insulators and investigate the role of inelastic scattering on the Dirac node states on the surface of topological insulators. Local inelastic scatteri...

Use of a closo-1,12-dicarbadecaborane backbone to link two different organic dyes separated by ca. 37 Å promotes exclusive through space electronic energy transfer with an efficiency of 81 to 87% with Stoke shifts between 4750 and 2800 cm(-1) depending on the pH.

We have engineered a monomeric blue non-fluorescent chromoprotein called Ultramarine (fluorescence quantum yield, 0.001; ε(585 nm), 64,000 M(-1) x cm(-1)) for use as a Förster resonance energy transfer acceptor for a number of different donor fluorescent proteins. We show its use for monitoring activation of caspase 3 in live cells using fluorescence lifetime imaging. Ultramarine has the potent...

A DNA quadruplex system that exhibits ultrafast intramolecular energy transfer is discussed.