Riboswitch control of gene expression in plants by splicing and alternative 3' end processing of mRNAs.
The most widespread riboswitch class, found in organisms from all three domains of life, is responsive to the vitamin B(1) derivative thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP). We have established that a TPP-sensing riboswitch is present in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the thiamin biosynthetic gene THIC of all plant species examined. The THIC TPP riboswitch controls the formation of transcripts with alternative 3' UTR lengths, which affect mRNA accumulation and protein production. We demonstrate that riboswitch-mediated regulation of alternative 3' end processing is critical for TPP-dependent feedback control of THIC expression. Our data reveal a mechanism whereby metabolite-dependent alteration of RNA folding controls splicing and alternative 3' end processing of mRNAs. These findings highlight the importance of metabolite sensing by riboswitches in plants and further reveal the significance of alternative 3' end processing as a mechanism of gene control in eukaryotes.
Wachter
Andreas
A
Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Conecticut 06520, USA.
Tunc-Ozdemir
Meral
M
Grove
Beth C
BC
Green
Pamela J
PJ
Shintani
David K
DK
Breaker
Ronald R
RR
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D025461:Feedback, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation / Q000187:drug effects; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D026721:RNA 3' End Processing / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D038621:Regulatory Sequences, Ribonucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D013831:Thiamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013835:Thiamine Pyrophosphate / Q000378:metabolism
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D038621:Regulatory Sequences, Ribonucleic Acid; D013835:Thiamine Pyrophosphate; D013831:Thiamine