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Artificial riboswitches: synthetic mRNA-based regulators of gene expression
Markus Wieland1, Jörg S Hartig
1Department of Chemistry and Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.
Chembiochem : a European Journal of Chemical Biology
|July 8, 2008
Abstract
No abstract available in PubMed .
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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.
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The gene expression in cells is regulated at different stages: (i) transcription, (ii) RNA processing, (iii) RNA localization, and (iv) translation. Transcriptional regulation is mediated by regulatory proteins such as transcription factors, activators, or repressors—these control gene expression by initiating or inhibiting the transcription of genes. Once a precursor or pre-mRNA is produced, it undergoes post-transcriptional modification, including 5' capping, splicing, and the addition of a...

