IGEM:Melbourne/2008/BCRiboswitch/What are riboswitches?: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
|||
(3 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[IGEM:Melbourne/2008| | [[IGEM:Melbourne/2008|Melbourne Homepage]] | ||
[[IGEM:Melbourne/2008/BCRiboswitch|Return to Riboswitch]] | [[IGEM:Melbourne/2008/BCRiboswitch|Return to Riboswitch Mainpage]] | ||
== Some basics of riboswitches == | == Some basics of riboswitches == | ||
Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
- 5’ leader region of nascent RNA transcript acts as a switch that is able to exist in 2 conformations. | - 5’ leader region of nascent RNA transcript acts as a switch that is able to exist in 2 conformations. | ||
- Switching between conformations is brought about by interaction with a specific cellular metabolite ( | - Switching between conformations is brought about by interaction with a specific cellular metabolite (including a piece of RNA). | ||
- When gene expression is inhibited, the riboswitch is said to be in a ‘locked’ state and either the presence or absence of the specific metabolite (depending on the type of riboswitch) is the ‘key’ to unlock the gene’s activity. | - When gene expression is inhibited, the riboswitch is said to be in a ‘locked’ state and either the presence or absence of the specific metabolite (depending on the type of riboswitch) is the ‘key’ to unlock the gene’s activity. | ||
Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
-They can also be constructed artificially. | -They can also be constructed artificially. | ||
The particular type of riboswitch used in the Bioclock is explained under [[IGEM:Melbourne/2008/BCRiboswitch/Riboswitch used in Bioclock|Riboswitch used in Bioclock | |||
]] | |||
Latest revision as of 22:35, 30 March 2008
Some basics of riboswitches
- Can be used to control gene expression by modulating transcription, translation or mRNA processing.
- 5’ leader region of nascent RNA transcript acts as a switch that is able to exist in 2 conformations.
- Switching between conformations is brought about by interaction with a specific cellular metabolite (including a piece of RNA).
- When gene expression is inhibited, the riboswitch is said to be in a ‘locked’ state and either the presence or absence of the specific metabolite (depending on the type of riboswitch) is the ‘key’ to unlock the gene’s activity.
- Several natural riboswitches have been discovered in prokaryotes (especially in pathways of biosynthesis of vitamins and nucleotides).
-They can also be constructed artificially.
The particular type of riboswitch used in the Bioclock is explained under Riboswitch used in Bioclock
(1), (2)