title: Regulatory RNAs and target mRNA decay in prokaryotes.
abstract: Recent advances in prokaryote genetics have highlighted the important and complex roles of small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs). Although blocking mRNA translation is often the main function of sRNAs, these molecules can also induce the degradation of target mRNAs using a mechanism that drastically differs from eukaryotic RNA interference (RNAi). Whereas RNAi relies on RNase III-like machinery that is specific to double-strand RNAs, sRNA-mediated mRNA degradation in Escherichia coli and Samonella typhimurium depends on RNase E, a single-strand specific endoribonuclease. Surprisingly, the latest descriptions of sRNA-mediated mRNA degradation in various bacteria suggest a variety of previously unsuspected mechanisms. In this review, we focus on recently characterized mechanisms in which sRNAs can bind to target mRNAs to induce decay. These new mechanisms illustrate how sRNAs and mRNA structures, including riboswitches, act cooperatively with protein partners to initiate the decay of mRNAs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: RNA Decay mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lalaouna
authors.forename: Maxime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simoneau-Roy
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lafontaine
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Massé
mesh_terms: D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D034622:RNA Interference; D020871:RNA Stability / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D012342:RNA, Small Nuclear / Q000235:genetics; D038621:Regulatory Sequences, Ribonucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D043244:Ribonuclease III / Q000235:genetics; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012342:RNA, Small Nuclear; D038621:Regulatory Sequences, Ribonucleic Acid; D004722:Endoribonucleases; C036544:endoribonuclease, single-stranded specific; D043244:Ribonuclease III; C022537:ribonuclease E