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

Riboswitches01:56

Riboswitches

10.2K
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...
10.2K
Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches01:23

Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches

1.2K
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...
1.2K
Types of RNA01:23

Types of RNA

74.3K
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...
74.3K
Translational Regulation01:29

Translational Regulation

875
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,...
875
Ribozymes02:47

Ribozymes

13.8K
The term ribozyme is used for RNA that can act as an enzyme. Ribozymes are mainly found in selected viruses, bacteria, plant organelles, and lower eukaryotes. Ribozymes were first discovered in 1982 when Tom Cech’s laboratory observed Group I introns acting as enzymes. This was shortly followed by the discovery of another ribozyme, Ribonulcease P, by Sid Altman’s laboratory. Both Cech and Altman received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1989 for their work on ribozymes.
Ribozymes can...
13.8K
Ribozymes02:47

Ribozymes

3.9K
3.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Mini-organs and early embryos in vitro: what is at stake?

Comptes rendus biologies·2025
Same author

Systematic mapping of antibiotic cross-resistance and collateral sensitivity with chemical genetics.

Nature microbiology·2024
Same author

Meeting report 'Microbiology 2023: from single cell to microbiome and host', an international interacademy conference in Würzburg.

microLife·2024
Same author

Raising a Bacterium to the Rank of a Model System: The <i>Listeria</i> Paradigm.

Annual review of microbiology·2023
Same author

The New Microbiology: an international lecture course on the island of Spetses.

microLife·2023
Same author

Editorial.

Comptes rendus biologies·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 17, 2026

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers
06:59

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 20, 2014

15.6K

Unexpected versatility in bacterial riboswitches.

J R Mellin1, Pascale Cossart1

  • 1Institut Pasteur, Unité des Interactions Bactéries-Cellules, 75015 Paris, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) Unité 604, 75015 Paris, France; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) Unité USC2020, 75015 Paris, France.

Trends in Genetics : TIG
|February 25, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Bacterial riboswitches regulate gene expression by binding ligands. Emerging roles show they control noncoding RNA expression and protein access, with growing biotech applications.

More Related Videos

Dual DNA Rulers to Study the Mechanism of Ribosome Translocation with Single-Nucleotide Resolution
10:27

Dual DNA Rulers to Study the Mechanism of Ribosome Translocation with Single-Nucleotide Resolution

Published on: July 8, 2019

6.7K
Measurement of Specific Mycobacterial Mistranslation Rates with Gain-of-function Reporter Systems
06:18

Measurement of Specific Mycobacterial Mistranslation Rates with Gain-of-function Reporter Systems

Published on: April 26, 2019

6.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 17, 2026

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers
06:59

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 20, 2014

15.6K
Dual DNA Rulers to Study the Mechanism of Ribosome Translocation with Single-Nucleotide Resolution
10:27

Dual DNA Rulers to Study the Mechanism of Ribosome Translocation with Single-Nucleotide Resolution

Published on: July 8, 2019

6.7K
Measurement of Specific Mycobacterial Mistranslation Rates with Gain-of-function Reporter Systems
06:18

Measurement of Specific Mycobacterial Mistranslation Rates with Gain-of-function Reporter Systems

Published on: April 26, 2019

6.5K

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Bacterial riboswitches are mRNA elements in 5'-untranslated regions (UTRs) that bind ligands to control gene expression.
  • Traditionally, riboswitches regulate protein-coding genes, but recent findings reveal broader regulatory roles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the diverse, emerging mechanisms of riboswitch-mediated gene regulation in bacteria.
  • To highlight recent advancements in riboswitch-based biotechnology and synthetic riboswitch engineering.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on bacterial riboswitches.
  • Analysis of emerging regulatory mechanisms and biotechnological applications.

Main Results:

  • Riboswitches exhibit diverse regulatory functions beyond protein-coding genes, including noncoding RNA regulation.
  • Riboswitches can modulate the access of proteins like Rho and RNase E to nascent RNA.
  • Significant progress in engineering synthetic riboswitches and developing riboswitch-based sensors.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterial riboswitches possess more diverse regulatory roles than previously understood.
  • Riboswitches are valuable tools in biotechnology, with ongoing innovation in synthetic designs and sensor development.