title: 6S RNA - an ancient regulator of bacterial RNA polymerase rediscovered.
abstract: The bacterial riboregulator 6S RNA was one of the first non-coding RNAs to be discovered in the late 1960s, but its cellular role remained enigmatic until the year 2000. 6S RNA, only recognized to be ubiquitous among bacteria in 2005, binds to RNA polymerase in a sigma factor-dependent manner to repress transcription from a subgroup of promoters. The common feature of a double-stranded rod with a central bulge has led to the proposal that 6S RNA may mimic an open promoter complex.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, D-35037 Marburg, Germany. willkomm@staff.uni-marburg.de
authors.forename: Dagmar K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Willkomm
authors.forename: Roland K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Hartmann
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: C411065:6S RNA; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D012808:Sigma Factor; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases