Sudarsan Narasimhan, Barrick Jeffrey E, Breaker Ronald R
RNA. 2003 Jun;9(6):644-7. doi: 10.1261/rna.5090103.
Genetic control by metabolite-binding mRNAs is widespread in prokaryotes. These riboswitches are typically located in noncoding regions of mRNA, where they selectively bind their target compound and subsequently modulate gene expression. We have identified mRNA elements in fungi and in plants that match the consensus sequence and structure of thiamine pyrophosphate-binding domains of prokaryotes. In Arabidopsis, the consensus motif resides in the 3'-UTR of a thiamine biosynthetic gene, and the isolated RNA domain binds the corresponding coenzyme in vitro. These results suggest that metabolite-binding mRNAs are possibly involved in eukaryotic gene regulation and that some riboswitches might be representatives of an ancient form of genetic control.
代谢物结合型mRNA的遗传控制在原核生物中广泛存在。这些核糖开关通常位于mRNA的非编码区,在那里它们选择性地结合其靶化合物,随后调节基因表达。我们已经在真菌和植物中鉴定出与原核生物硫胺素焦磷酸结合结构域的共有序列和结构相匹配的mRNA元件。在拟南芥中,共有基序存在于硫胺素生物合成基因的3'-UTR中,分离出的RNA结构域在体外结合相应的辅酶。这些结果表明,代谢物结合型mRNA可能参与真核生物的基因调控,并且一些核糖开关可能是一种古老遗传控制形式的代表。