RNA switch

RNA switches are regulatory systems that rely on alternative mRNA structures.

RNA switches may be triggered by proteins, tRNAs (T-box), or metabolites (riboswitches)

List of Bacillus subtilis RNAswitches

• Protein-dependent RNA switches
  • L20 leader: in front of the infC-rpmI-rplT-ysdA operon: controlled by RplT binding
  • ptsG-ptsH-ptsI: controlled by GlcT
  • sacX-sacY, sacB: controlled by SacY
  • sacP-sacA: controlled by SacT
  • bglS, bglP-bglH-yxiE: controlled by BglP
  • glpD, glpF-glpK, glpT-glpQ: controlled by GlpP
  • pabA, trpE-trpD-trpC-trpF-trpB-trpA, trpP, ycbK: controlled by TRAP
  • hutH-hutU-hutI-hutG-hutM: controlled by HutP
  • pyrR-pyrP-pyrB-pyrC-pyrAA-pyrAB-pyrK-pyrD-pyrF-pyrE: controlled by PyrR

• T-box

• Riboswitches
  • A-box
  • FMN-box
  • G-box
  • Gly-box
  • L-box
  • M-box
  • preQ1 riboswitch
  • ribozyme: glmS
  • S-box
  • Thi-box

• Potential additional RNA switches
  • pyrG RNA switch: low levels of intracellular CTP induce reiterative addition of G residues at position +4 in the 5' end of the pyrG mRNA, which is encoded as pppGGGC. . . . The poly(G) sequences formed under these conditions act to prevent attenuation by base pairing with the C- and U-rich 5' strand of a downstream terminator stem-loop located in the pyrG leader. PubMed

The function of the following potential RNA structures is unknown. They were suggested to control the mentioned genes.

• • ydaO-yuaA switch: ydaO, ktrA
  • ykkC-yxkD switch: ykkC, yxkD
  • yybP-ykoY switch: yybP, ykoY
  • ylbH switch: ylbH
  • L10 leader: rplJ
  • L13 leader: rplM
  • L19 leader: rplS
  • L21_leader:in front of the rplU-ysxB-rpmA operon

Important Reviews

Pascale Romby, Emmanuelle Charpentier
An overview of RNAs with regulatory functions in gram-positive bacteria.
Cell Mol Life Sci: 2010, 67(2);217-37
[PubMed:19859665] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Paul Babitzke, Carol S Baker, Tony Romeo
Regulation of translation initiation by RNA binding proteins.
Annu Rev Microbiol: 2009, 63;27-44
[PubMed:19385727] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Michael D Dambach, Wade C Winkler
Expanding roles for metabolite-sensing regulatory RNAs.
Curr Opin Microbiol: 2009, 12(2);161-9
[PubMed:19250859] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Tina M Henkin
Riboswitch RNAs: using RNA to sense cellular metabolism.
Genes Dev: 2008, 22(24);3383-90
[PubMed:19141470] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Jesse C Cochrane, Scott A Strobel
Riboswitch effectors as protein enzyme cofactors.
RNA: 2008, 14(6);993-1002
[PubMed:18430893] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Catherine A Wakeman, Wade C Winkler, Charles E Dann
Structural features of metabolite-sensing riboswitches.
Trends Biochem Sci: 2007, 32(9);415-24
[PubMed:17764952] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Irnov, A Kertsburg, W C Winkler
Genetic control by cis-acting regulatory RNAs in Bacillus subtilis: general principles and prospects for discovery.
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol: 2006, 71;239-49
[PubMed:17381303] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Frank J Grundy, Tina M Henkin
From ribosome to riboswitch: control of gene expression in bacteria by RNA structural rearrangements.
Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol: 2006, 41(6);329-38
[PubMed:17092822] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Wade C Winkler
Riboswitches and the role of noncoding RNAs in bacterial metabolic control.
Curr Opin Chem Biol: 2005, 9(6);594-602
[PubMed:16226486] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Wade C Winkler, Ronald R Breaker
Regulation of bacterial gene expression by riboswitches.
Annu Rev Microbiol: 2005, 59;487-517
[PubMed:16153177] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Wade C Winkler
Metabolic monitoring by bacterial mRNAs.
Arch Microbiol: 2005, 183(3);151-9
[PubMed:15750802] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Frank J Grundy, Tina M Henkin
Regulation of gene expression by effectors that bind to RNA.
Curr Opin Microbiol: 2004, 7(2);126-31
[PubMed:15063848] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Wade C Winkler, Ronald R Breaker
Genetic control by metabolite-binding riboswitches.
Chembiochem: 2003, 4(10);1024-32
[PubMed:14523920] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Jörg Stülke
Control of transcription termination in bacteria by RNA-binding proteins that modulate RNA structures.
Arch Microbiol: 2002, 177(6);433-40
[PubMed:12029388] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)