Regulatory roles for small RNAs in bacteria.
Small RNAs can act to regulate both the synthesis of proteins, by affecting mRNA transcription, translation and stability, and the activity of specific proteins by binding to them. As a result of recent genome-wide screens, around 50 small RNAs have now been identified in Escherichia coli. These include many that require the RNA-binding protein Hfq for their activity; most of these RNAs act by pairing with their target mRNAs. Small RNAs can both positively and negatively regulate translation, can simultaneously regulate multiple mRNA targets, and can change the pattern of polarity within an operon.
Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Eric
E
Massé
Nadim
N
Majdalani
Susan
S
Gottesman
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D035001:Host Factor 1 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000502:physiology*; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C087373:Hfq protein, E coli; D035001:Host Factor 1 Protein; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D012808:Sigma Factor; C069567:sigma factor KatF protein, Bacteria