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

8.1K
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...
8.1K
Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches01:23

Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches

3
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...
3
Types of RNA01:23

Types of RNA

63.3K
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...
63.3K
Translational Regulation01:29

Translational Regulation

1
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,...
1
Experimental RNAi02:15

Experimental RNAi

6.1K
RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism that inhibits gene expression by suppressing its transcription or activating the RNA degradation process. The mechanism was discovered by Andrew Fire and Craig Mello in 1998 in plants. Today, it is observed in almost all eukaryotes, including protozoa, flies, nematodes, insects, parasites, and mammals. This precise cellular mechanism of gene silencing has been developed into a technique that provides an efficient way to identify and determine the...
6.1K
RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

26.0K
RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
26.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Pathogenic human mitochondrial tRNA variants impair RNA processing by compromising 5' leader removal.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

pH-dependent allosteric remodeling of a bacterial riboswitch couples alkaline activation to metal sensing.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

HEXIM1 inter-monomer autoinhibition governs 7SK RNA binding specificity and P-TEFb inactivation.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Nucleic Acid Sequence Determinants of Transcriptional Pausing by the Human Mitochondrial RNA Polymerase (POLRMT).

Biochemistry·2025
Same author

Structurally distinct manganese-sensing riboswitch aptamers regulate different expression platform architectures.

Nucleic acids research·2025
Same author

Nucleic acid sequence determinants of transcriptional pausing by human mitochondrial RNA polymerase (POLRMT).

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2025

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers
06:59

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 20, 2014

14.8K

Opportunities for Riboswitch Inhibition by Targeting Co-Transcriptional RNA Folding Events.

Christine Stephen1, Danea Palmer1, Tatiana V Mishanina1

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|October 16, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Antibiotic resistance demands new drugs. Targeting bacterial riboswitches, RNA molecules controlling gene expression, offers a promising strategy. This review explores targeting riboswitches during their active transcription for novel antibiotic development.

Keywords:
RNA foldingantibioticsantisense oligonucleotidebacteriadrug targetriboswitchriboswitch inhibitortranscriptiontranslation

More Related Videos

Optical Tweezers to Study RNA-Protein Interactions in Translation Regulation
12:26

Optical Tweezers to Study RNA-Protein Interactions in Translation Regulation

Published on: February 12, 2022

4.9K
Artificial RNA Polymerase II Elongation Complexes for Dissecting Co-transcriptional RNA Processing Events
10:59

Artificial RNA Polymerase II Elongation Complexes for Dissecting Co-transcriptional RNA Processing Events

Published on: May 13, 2019

9.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 10, 2025

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers
06:59

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 20, 2014

14.8K
Optical Tweezers to Study RNA-Protein Interactions in Translation Regulation
12:26

Optical Tweezers to Study RNA-Protein Interactions in Translation Regulation

Published on: February 12, 2022

4.9K
Artificial RNA Polymerase II Elongation Complexes for Dissecting Co-transcriptional RNA Processing Events
10:59

Artificial RNA Polymerase II Elongation Complexes for Dissecting Co-transcriptional RNA Processing Events

Published on: May 13, 2019

9.7K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Drug Discovery

Background:

  • Antibiotic resistance is a major global health threat, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
  • Bacterial non-coding RNAs, particularly riboswitches, are emerging as promising targets for new antibiotics due to their essential gene regulation roles.
  • Current riboswitch inhibitor design often overlooks co-transcriptional folding, potentially explaining in vitro-in vivo efficacy discrepancies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review advances in understanding riboswitch co-transcriptional folding.
  • To highlight the potential of targeting intermediate structures formed during transcription.
  • To introduce antisense oligonucleotides as a novel strategy for riboswitch inhibitor design.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on riboswitch structure, function, and inhibition.
  • Analysis of co-transcriptional folding mechanisms in bacterial non-coding RNAs.
  • Exploration of antisense oligonucleotide-based targeting strategies.

Main Results:

  • Riboswitches undergo dynamic folding during active transcription in vivo.
  • Intermediate RNA structures formed during co-transcriptional folding present unique inhibitory targets.
  • Antisense oligonucleotides demonstrate potential for high specificity and efficacy against these intermediate structures.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting riboswitches during co-transcriptional folding offers a novel avenue for antibiotic development.
  • Antisense oligonucleotides represent a promising new class of drugs for combating antibiotic resistance.
  • Further research into co-transcriptional folding dynamics is crucial for rational drug design against bacterial targets.