Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Riboswitches

Riboswitches

Riboswitches are non-coding mRNA domains that regulate the transcription and translation of downstream genes without the help of proteins. Riboswitches bind directly to a metabolite and can form unique stem-loop or hairpin structures in response to the amount of the metabolite present. They have two distinct regions – a metabolite-binding aptamer and an expression platform.
The aptamer has high specificity for a particular metabolite which allows riboswitches to specifically regulate...

Cooperative Allosteric Transitions

Cooperative Allosteric Transitions

Cooperative allosteric transitions can occur in multimeric proteins, where each subunit of the protein has its own ligand-binding site. When a ligand binds to any of these subunits, it triggers a conformational change that affects the binding sites in the other subunits; this can change the affinity of the other sites for their respective ligands. The ability of the protein to change the shape of its binding site is attributed to the presence of a mix of flexible and stable segments in the...

Cooperative Allosteric Transitions

Cooperative Allosteric Transitions

Cooperative allosteric transitions can occur in multimeric proteins, where each subunit of the protein has its own ligand-binding site. When a ligand binds to any of these subunits, it triggers a conformational change that affects the binding sites in the other subunits; this can change the affinity of the other sites for their respective ligands. The ability of the protein to change the shape of its binding site is attributed to the presence of a mix of flexible and stable segments in the...

Cooperative Allosteric Transitions

Cooperative Allosteric Transitions

Cooperative allosteric transitions can occur in multimeric proteins, where each subunit of the protein has its own ligand-binding site. When a ligand binds to any of these subunits, it triggers a conformational change that affects the binding sites in the other subunits; this can change the affinity of the other sites for their respective ligands. The ability of the protein to change the shape of its binding site is attributed to the presence of a mix of flexible and stable segments in the...

Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches

Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches

Riboswitches are RNA elements that regulate gene expression by altering their secondary structures in response to specific effector molecules. These elements, located in the leader regions of certain mRNAs, act as transcriptional regulators by toggling between alternative conformations to control downstream gene expression. Riboswitch-mediated regulation is a precise mechanism for modulating biosynthetic pathways, as exemplified by the riboflavin biosynthesis pathway in Bacillus...

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Longitudinal monitoring of circulating tumor DNA to detect relapse early and predict outcome in early breast cancer.

Breast cancer research and treatment·2024

Same author

Personalized Cancer Monitoring Assay for the Detection of ctDNA in Patients with Solid Tumors.

Molecular diagnosis & therapy·2023

Same author

Use of Biosynthetic Controls as Performance Standards for Next-Generation Sequencing Assays of Somatic Tumors: A Multilaboratory Study.

The journal of applied laboratory medicine·2020

Same author

Predictive shifts in free energy couple mutations to their phenotypic consequences.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2019

Same author

Author Correction: An Autogenously Regulated Expression System for Gene Therapeutic Ocular Applications.

Scientific reports·2018

Same author

Tuning Transcriptional Regulation through Signaling: A Predictive Theory of Allosteric Induction.

Cell systems·2018

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 22, 2026

An Ecdysone Receptor-based Singular Gene Switch for Deliberate Expression of Transgene with Robustness, Reversibility, and Negligible Leakiness

An Ecdysone Receptor-based Singular Gene Switch for Deliberate Expression of Transgene with Robustness, Reversibility, and Negligible Leakiness

Published on: May 7, 2018

A novel molecular switch.

Robert Daber¹, Mitchell Lewis

¹Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, 19104-6059, USA.

Journal of Molecular Biology

|June 23, 2009

Summary

Researchers engineered a novel transcriptional switch based on the lac operon, creating a more efficient and tightly controlled system for gene regulation in mammalian cells.

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Gene Regulation
Synthetic Biology

Background:

Transcriptional regulation governs metabolic pathways, with the lac operon serving as a key model system.
The lac operon switch has been adapted for use in mammalian cells for gene expression control.

Purpose of the Study:

To engineer a novel transcriptional switch with enhanced regulatory properties.
To create a heterodimeric repressor with altered operator recognition for improved function.

Main Methods:

Directed evolution was employed to create a novel switch recognizing an asymmetric operator sequence.
The repressor's headpiece domains were altered for operator recognition.
A redesigned dimer interface was used to create a heterodimeric repressor.

More Related Videos

Rapid Synthesis and Screening of Chemically Activated Transcription Factors with GFP-based Reporters

Rapid Synthesis and Screening of Chemically Activated Transcription Factors with GFP-based Reporters

Published on: November 26, 2013

Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy

Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy

Published on: September 29, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 22, 2026

An Ecdysone Receptor-based Singular Gene Switch for Deliberate Expression of Transgene with Robustness, Reversibility, and Negligible Leakiness

An Ecdysone Receptor-based Singular Gene Switch for Deliberate Expression of Transgene with Robustness, Reversibility, and Negligible Leakiness

Published on: May 7, 2018

Rapid Synthesis and Screening of Chemically Activated Transcription Factors with GFP-based Reporters

Rapid Synthesis and Screening of Chemically Activated Transcription Factors with GFP-based Reporters

Published on: November 26, 2013

Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy

Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy

Published on: September 29, 2016

Main Results:

The novel heterodimeric switch demonstrated superior performance compared to the natural lac operon system.
The engineered switch exhibited tighter repression and reduced leakiness.
More efficient induction of gene expression was observed with the novel system.

Conclusions:

The developed heterodimeric repressor represents a significant advancement in transcriptional control.
These novel repressors hold potential for regulating gene expression in eukaryotic and mammalian systems by targeting specific promoters.