Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Types of RNA01:23

Types of RNA

Overview
Three main types of RNA are involved in protein synthesis: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). These RNAs perform diverse functions and can be broadly classified as protein-coding or non-coding RNA. Non-coding RNAs play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental changes. Non-coding RNAs in prokaryotes can be manipulated to develop more effective antibacterial drugs for human or animal use.
RNA...
Coordination of Gene Expression Processes in Bacteria01:29

Coordination of Gene Expression Processes in Bacteria

The DNA replication, transcription, and translation processes are intricately coupled in bacteria, allowing efficient gene expression and rapid protein synthesis. While this physical and functional coordination is advantageous, it introduces challenges that bacteria overcome through specific regulatory mechanisms.Coupling of Replication, Transcription, and TranslationThe coupling of replication, transcription, and translation is a hallmark of bacterial gene expression. As the replisome unwinds...
Translational Regulation01:29

Translational Regulation

Translational regulation in prokaryotes ensures efficient protein synthesis by controlling ribosome access to mRNA. This regulation is mediated by secondary RNA structures, including translational riboswitches, RNA thermometers, and small RNAs (sRNAs), which respond to intracellular and environmental signals to modulate gene expression.Translational RiboswitchesRiboswitches in the leader region of mRNAs can regulate translation by altering the accessibility of the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence,...
Bacterial RNA Polymerase00:43

Bacterial RNA Polymerase

Unlike eukaryotes, bacteria use a single RNA Polymerase (RNAP) to transcribe all genes. The different subunits of bacterial RNAPhave distinct functions. The multisubunit structure of the bacterial RNAP helps the enzyme to maintain catalytic function, facilitate assembly, interact with DNA and RNA, and self-regulate its activity.
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
Prokaryotic Transcriptional Activators and Repressors01:58

Prokaryotic Transcriptional Activators and Repressors

The organization of prokaryotic genes in their genome is notably different from that of eukaryotes. Prokaryotic genes are organized, such that the genes for proteins involved in the same biochemical process or function are located together in groups. This group of genes, along with their regulatory elements, are collectively known as an operon. The functional genes in an operon are transcribed together to give a single strand of mRNA known as polycistronic mRNA.
Transcription of prokaryotic...
CRISPR and crRNAs02:53

CRISPR and crRNAs

Bacteria and archaea are susceptible to viral infections just like eukaryotes; therefore, they have developed a unique adaptive immune system to protect themselves. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) are present in more than 45% of known bacteria and 90% of known archaea.
The CRISPR-Cas system stores a copy of foreign DNA in the host genome and uses it to identify the foreign DNA upon reinfection. CRISPR-Cas has three different...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

RNA synthetic biology: from the test tube to cells and back again.

ACS synthetic biology·2015
Same author

A family of synthetic riboswitches adopts a kinetic trapping mechanism.

Nucleic acids research·2014
Same author

Riboswitches for intracellular study of genes involved in Francisella pathogenesis.

mBio·2012
Same author

A riboswitch-based inducible gene expression system for mycobacteria.

PloS one·2012
Same author

From SELEX to cell dual selections for synthetic riboswitches.

Methods in enzymology·2011
Same author

Synthetic riboswitches that induce gene expression in diverse bacterial species.

Applied and environmental microbiology·2010

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Phage-mediated Delivery of Targeted sRNA Constructs to Knock Down Gene Expression in E. coli
08:25

Phage-mediated Delivery of Targeted sRNA Constructs to Knock Down Gene Expression in E. coli

Published on: March 20, 2016

Toward reprogramming bacteria with small molecules and RNA.

Justin P Gallivan1

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Center for Fundamental and Applied Molecular Evolution, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. justin.gallivan@emory.edu

Current Opinion in Chemical Biology
|October 31, 2007
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Synthetic biology aims to reprogram bacteria for complex tasks. Synthetic riboswitches offer a new method to control gene expression in bacteria, enabling precise cellular behavior reprogramming in response to small molecules.

More Related Videos

Bacterial Delivery of RNAi Effectors: Transkingdom RNAi
07:56

Bacterial Delivery of RNAi Effectors: Transkingdom RNAi

Published on: August 18, 2010

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation
09:26

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation

Published on: December 29, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Phage-mediated Delivery of Targeted sRNA Constructs to Knock Down Gene Expression in E. coli
08:25

Phage-mediated Delivery of Targeted sRNA Constructs to Knock Down Gene Expression in E. coli

Published on: March 20, 2016

Bacterial Delivery of RNAi Effectors: Transkingdom RNAi
07:56

Bacterial Delivery of RNAi Effectors: Transkingdom RNAi

Published on: August 18, 2010

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation
09:26

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation

Published on: December 29, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Synthetic biology
  • Bacterial genetics
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Synthetic biology seeks to engineer bacteria for tasks like drug synthesis and pollutant degradation.
  • Genetic modification and gene synthesis have advanced, but controlling gene expression remains a challenge.
  • Cellular behavior reprogramming requires precise control over gene expression timing and levels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the use of synthetic riboswitches for reprogramming bacterial behavior.
  • To investigate how synthetic riboswitches can control gene expression in response to small molecules.
  • To address the challenge of controlling gene expression in engineered bacteria.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing synthetic riboswitches, which are RNA sequences that change conformation in response to small molecules.
  • Implementing these riboswitches to modulate the expression of modified genes in bacterial strains.
  • Leveraging advances in molecular biology and bacterial genetics for genetic engineering.

Main Results:

  • Synthetic riboswitches demonstrate potential in reprogramming bacterial responses to small molecules.
  • Ligand-induced conformational changes in synthetic riboswitches effectively alter gene expression.
  • These tools offer a method for fine-tuning gene expression in engineered bacteria.

Conclusions:

  • Synthetic riboswitches are a promising tool for controlling gene expression in synthetic biology.
  • This approach enhances the ability to reprogram bacterial behavior for specific applications.
  • Further research can leverage synthetic riboswitches for advanced bacterial engineering.