title: New RNA motifs suggest an expanded scope for riboswitches in bacterial genetic control.
abstract: The expression of certain genes involved in fundamental metabolism is regulated by metabolite-binding "riboswitch" elements embedded within their corresponding mRNAs. We have identified at least six additional elements within the Bacillus subtilis genome that exhibit characteristics of riboswitch function (glmS, gcvT, ydaO/yuaA, ykkC/yxkD, ykoK, and yybP/ykoY). These motifs exhibit extensive sequence and secondary-structure conservation among many bacterial species and occur upstream of related genes. The element located upstream of the glmS gene in Gram-positive organisms functions as a metabolite-dependent ribozyme that responds to glucosamine-6-phosphate. Other motifs form complex folded structures when transcribed as RNA molecules and carry intrinsic terminator structures. These findings indicate that riboswitches serve as a major genetic regulatory mechanism for the control of metabolic genes in many microbial species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, P.O. Box 208103, New Haven, CT 06520-8103, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Barrick
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Corbino
authors.forename: Wade C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nahvi
authors.forename: Maumita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Narasimhan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sudarsan
authors.forename: Inbal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jona
authors.forename: J Kenneth
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Wickiser
authors.forename: Ronald R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Breaker
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D016337:RNA, Catalytic