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| [[IGEM:Melbourne/2008|Return to Melbourne Homepage]]
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| [[IGEM:Melbourne/2008/BCRiboswitch|Return to Riboswitch]]
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| == Some basics of riboswitches ==
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| - Can be used to control gene expression by modulating transcription, translation or mRNA processing.
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| - 5’ leader region of nascent RNA transcript acts as a switch that is able to exist in 2 conformations.
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| - Switching between conformations is brought about by interaction with a specific cellular metabolite (artificial molecule or another piece of RNA).
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| - 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.
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| - Several natural riboswitches have been discovered in prokaryotes (especially in pathways of biosynthesis of vitamins and nucleotides).
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| -They can also be constructed artificially.
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