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Conformational Dynamics of mRNA in Gene Expression as New Pharmaceutical Target
Author(s) -
Endoh Tamaki,
Sugimoto Naoki
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the chemical record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.61
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1528-0691
pISSN - 1527-8999
DOI - 10.1002/tcr.201700016
Subject(s) - translation (biology) , gene expression , messenger rna , nucleic acid , transcription (linguistics) , rna , biophysics , chemistry , gene , computational biology , molecular dynamics , microbiology and biotechnology , intracellular , folding (dsp implementation) , small molecule , regulation of gene expression , biochemistry , biology , computational chemistry , linguistics , philosophy , electrical engineering , engineering
Gene expression involves concurrent and consecutive events of unidirectional nature, such as transcription occurring from 5′ to 3′ end and translation from N to C terminus. Recent functional studies have shown the importance of kinetically coupled nucleic acid folding events that influence gene expression processes. For example, mRNA conformational dynamics during transcription and translation regulate gene expression and subsequent protein functionalization. The structure, stability, and kinetic properties of nucleic acids are sensitive to the intracellular molecular environment and can be regulated by using artificially developed molecules. Here, we review our current understanding of how mRNA conformational dynamics affect the consecutive and concurrent processes involved in gene expression and discuss how novel pharmaceutical agents designed to influence RNA conformational dynamics, could be developed to treat various diseases.