Multiple conformational states of riboswitches fine-tune gene regulation.
Riboswitches are structured regions of mRNAs that modulate gene expression in response to specific binding of low molecular-weight ligands. They function by induced transitions between different functional conformations. The standard model assumed that the two functional states, the ligand-bound and ligand-free state, populated only two stable conformations. Recent discoveries of multiple conformations for the apo-state and holo-state of riboswitches challenge this model. Moreover, it becomes evident that detected conformational heterogeneity--mostly in the apo-state--provides sensitivity to multiple environmental inputs for riboswitch-based gene-regulation.
Institute of Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, BMRZ, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Max von Laue-Straße 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Boris
B
Fürtig
Institute of Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, BMRZ, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Max von Laue-Straße 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Senada
S
Nozinovic
Institute of Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, BMRZ, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Max von Laue-Straße 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Anke
A
Reining
Institute of Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, BMRZ, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Max von Laue-Straße 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Electronic address: schwalbe@nmr.uni-frankfurt.de.
Harald
H
Schwalbe
D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D001703:Biophysics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation; D011487:Protein Conformation; D058928:Riboswitch / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D058928:Riboswitch