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Related Concept Videos

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,...
Riboswitches01:56

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...
Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches01:23

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...
Leaky Scanning02:28

Leaky Scanning

During most eukaryotic translation processes, the small 40S ribosome subunit scans an mRNA from its 5' end until it encounters the first start AUG codon. The large 60S ribosomal subunit then joins the smaller one to initiate protein synthesis. The location of the translation initiation is largely determined by the nucleotides near the start codon as there may be multiple translation initiation sites present on the mRNA.  Marilyn Kozak discovered that the sequence RCCAUGG (where R stands for...
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...
Real Time RT-PCR02:57

Real Time RT-PCR

Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, or Real-time RT-PCR, is an analytical tool used to determine the expression level of target genes. The method involves converting mRNA to complementary DNA with the help of an enzyme known as reverse transcriptase, followed by the PCR amplification of the cDNA. These two processes can be performed simultaneously in a single tube or separately as a two-step reaction.
The real-time quantification of the number of amplified products is...

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Optical Tweezers to Study RNA-Protein Interactions in Translation Regulation
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Translation on demand by a simple RNA-based thermosensor.

Jens Kortmann1, Simon Sczodrok, Jörg Rinnenthal

  • 1Lehrstuhl für Biologie der Mikroorganismen, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany.

Nucleic Acids Research
|December 7, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Cyanobacteria use a unique RNA thermosensor in heat shock gene mRNA. This biosensor controls chaperone production, crucial for photosynthesis during stress and recovery.

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

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Photosynthesis Research
  • Gene Regulation

Background:

  • Structured RNA regions act as critical gene control elements in various organisms.
  • Cyanobacterial heat shock genes play a role in stress response and photosynthetic activity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of a thermosensor in the mRNA of a cyanobacterial heat shock gene (hsp17).
  • To understand the role of this thermosensor in regulating protein production under different physiological conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) structure of the Synechocystis hsp17 transcript.
  • In vivo reporter gene expression assays with point mutations in the RNA structure.
  • In vitro ribosome binding assays.
  • Genome editing to introduce mutations into Synechocystis.

Main Results:

  • The 5'-UTR contains a hairpin thermosensor that inhibits translation at normal temperatures and permits it under stress.
  • Mutations altering RNA stability disrupted reporter gene expression and ribosome binding.
  • Phenotypic defects were observed in Synechocystis mutants with altered thermosensor structures.
  • Reversible structural changes were essential for cell viability, photosystem integrity, and oxygen evolution.

Conclusions:

  • The identified RNA thermosensor acts as a crucial biosensor, precisely regulating molecular chaperone levels based on physiological needs.
  • Shutting off heat shock protein production during recovery is a vital, previously unrecognized function of RNA thermometers.
  • This mechanism is critical for maintaining photosynthetic activity and organismal survival under fluctuating environmental conditions.