Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA. 2013 Jul-Aug;4(4):387-96. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1167. Epub 2013 May 7.
All living creatures change their gene expression program in response to nutrient availability and metabolic demands. Nutrients and metabolites can directly control transcription and activate second-messenger systems. More recent studies reveal that metabolites also affect post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. Here, we review the increasing number of connections between metabolism and post-transcriptional regulation in eukaryotic organisms. First, we present evidence that riboswitches, a common mechanism of metabolite sensing in bacteria, also function in eukaryotes. Next, we review an example of a double stranded RNA modifying enzyme that directly interacts with a metabolite, suggesting a link between RNA editing and metabolic state. Finally, we discuss work that shows some metabolic enzymes bind directly to RNA to affect mRNA stability or translation efficiency. These examples were discovered through gene-specific genetic, biochemical, and structural studies. A directed systems level approach will be necessary to determine whether they are anomalies of evolution or pioneer discoveries in what may be a broadly connected network of metabolism and post-transcriptional regulation.
所有生物都会根据营养物质的可利用性和代谢需求来改变其基因表达程序。营养物质和代谢物可以直接控制转录并激活第二信使系统。最近的研究表明，代谢物还会影响转录后调控机制。在这里，我们回顾了真核生物中代谢与转录后调控之间日益增多的联系。首先，我们提出了证据表明，细菌中普遍存在的代谢物感应机制——核酶，在真核生物中也有功能。接下来，我们回顾了一个双链 RNA 修饰酶的例子，该酶直接与代谢物相互作用，这表明 RNA 编辑和代谢状态之间存在联系。最后，我们讨论了一些代谢酶直接与 RNA 结合以影响 mRNA 稳定性或翻译效率的工作。这些例子是通过基因特异性遗传、生化和结构研究发现的。有必要采用有针对性的系统水平方法来确定它们是进化中的异常现象，还是可能在广泛连接的代谢和转录后调控网络中具有开创性的发现。
