Dual-acting riboswitch control of translation initiation and mRNA decay

摘要

In prokaryotes, an intricate network of biochemical pathways allows adaptation to continuous metabolic changes by using a variety of nutrients. RNA-based regulatory systems, such as riboswitches, regulate essential metabolic processes. Riboswitches are highly structured regulatory elements located in noncoding regions of mRNAs that control gene expression at the levels of transcription, translation, or splicing. These switches specifically recognize cellular metabolites, such as amino acids, and undergo structural changes upon ligand binding that directly affect the expression of the regulated gene(s).