Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 14, 2026
11:34
Investigating Receptor-ligand Systems of the Cellulosome with AFM-based Single-molecule Force Spectroscopy
Published on: December 20, 2013
7.9K
Cellulosome stoichiometry in Clostridium cellulolyticum is regulated by selective RNA processing and stabilization
Chenggang Xu1,2, Ranran Huang1,2,3, Lin Teng1,2,3
1Single-Cell Center, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266101, China.
Nature Communications
|April 25, 2015
Summary
Selective RNA processing and stabilization (SRPS) controls protein complex stoichiometry. This study maps RNA processing sites in Clostridium cellulolyticum, revealing an RNA-encoded strategy for gene regulation and evolution.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- The mechanisms and implications of selective RNA processing and stabilization (SRPS) are not fully understood.
- Understanding RNA processing is crucial for deciphering gene regulation and protein complex formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map genome-wide transcriptional start sites (TSs) and post-transcriptional processed sites (PSs) in Clostridium cellulolyticum.
- To elucidate the role of SRPS in regulating gene expression and protein stoichiometry.
Main Methods:
- Genome-wide mapping of TSs and PSs.
- Analysis of RNA structures and their correlation with transcript abundance.
- Investigating the cellulosome-encoding cip-cel operon.
Main Results:
- PS-associated genes are linked to heteromultimeric protein complexes.
- Intergenic PSs (iPSs) in operons show skewed transcript abundance.
- Stem-loop structures at iPSs correlate with transcript ratios, regulating subunit stoichiometry in the cellulosome.
- Cellulosome evolution is influenced by TSs, iPSs, and stem-loop characteristics.
Conclusions:
- A genome-wide RNA-encoded strategy precisely controls protein complex stoichiometry in vivo.
- SRPS plays a critical role in the regulation and evolution of complex biological systems like the cellulosome.
Related Concept Videos
01:02Role of Microtubules in Cell Wall Deposition
3.5K
Microtubules are small hollow tubes in eukaryotic cells. The cell wall microtubules are polymerized dimers of two globular proteins, α-tubulin and β-tubulin, two globular proteins. With a diameter of about 25 nm, microtubules are the widest components of the cytoskeleton. They help the cell resist compression and provide a track along which vesicles move through the cell or pull replicated chromosomes to opposite ends of a dividing cell. Microtubules go through quick cycles of...
3.5K
01:23Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps
1.6K
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...
1.6K
02:24Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
27.4K
Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
27.4K
01:23Stringent Response in E. coli
487
Bacterial growth is closely tied to nutrient availability, with cells proliferating exponentially under favorable conditions and entering a stationary phase when resources become scarce. This transition is mediated by a regulatory mechanism known as the stringent response, which allows bacteria to adapt to nutrient deprivation by modulating gene expression and metabolic activity.During nutrient scarcity, intracellular amino acid levels decline. It results in the accumulation of uncharged tRNAs...
487
02:53Ribosomal RNA Synthesis
15.3K
Ribosome synthesis is a highly complex and coordinated process involving more than 200 assembly factors. The synthesis and processing of ribosomal components occurs not only in the nucleolus but also in the nucleoplasm and the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells.
Ribosome biogenesis begins with the synthesis of 5S and 45S pre-rRNAs by distinct RNA polymerases. The primary transcripts are extensively processed and modified before they are bound and folded by ribosomal proteins and assembly factors,...
Ribosome biogenesis begins with the synthesis of 5S and 45S pre-rRNAs by distinct RNA polymerases. The primary transcripts are extensively processed and modified before they are bound and folded by ribosomal proteins and assembly factors,...
15.3K
01:53RNA Stability
36.4K
Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
36.4K