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Structures of RNA Switches: Insight into Molecular Recognition and Tertiary Structure
Author(s) -
Schwalbe Harald,
Buck Janina,
Fürtig Boris,
Noeske Jonas,
Wöhnert Jens
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.200604163
Subject(s) - riboswitch , aptamer , rna , computational biology , transcription (linguistics) , microbiology and biotechnology , nucleic acid structure , translation (biology) , gene expression , biology , chemistry , biophysics , messenger rna , non coding rna , gene , genetics , linguistics , philosophy
RNA switches (riboswitches) have important functions in gene regulation. They comprise an aptamer domain, which is responsible for ligand binding, and an expression platform that transmits the ligand‐binding state of the aptamer domain through a conformational change. Riboswitches can regulate gene expression either at the level of transcription or translation, and it has been proposed that riboswitch mechanisms are even used to regulate the processing of mRNA. This Minireview summarizes the current understanding of the structures and mode of action of RNA switches, with particular focus on secondary and tertiary interactions, which stabilize the global RNA structure and thus determine the function of the aptamer domain.