zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades Doktor rerum naturalium

The ability to fold into well-defined native conformation is a prerequisite for biologically functional biopolymers. Since RNA secondary structure can be computed relatively easily and accurately it provides an ideal model system for theoretical investigations. The topology of the energy landscape of a given sequence strongly influences its folding pathways and mechanisms. The energy landscape for RNA molecules is believed to be rugged, exhibiting many deep local optima, in which the folding process may become trapped. In this thesis a kinetic folding algorithm has been developed in order to study the dynamics of RNA folding on such an energy landscape. The new algorithm uses the most elementary move set possible for the inter conversion of RNA secondary structure. It consists in the insertion or the removal of single base pairs, as well as the exchange of one pairing partner in a base pair. Since the changes made during one simulation step are small, no unrealistic assumptions about the transition rates have to b