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The bacterial transcriptional repressor 6S RNA mimics the DNA contained in a melted promoter and forms specific interactions with the active site of RNA polymerase. A new study shows that, surprisingly, 6S RNA acts as a template for the synthesis of small RNAs, which liberates the polymerase from 6S RNA. Hence, the transcriptional repressor 6S RNA serves as a template for the synthesis of its own de-repressive RNA.
The nascent field of glycomics is currently undergoing rapid development, largely as a result of advances in technologies for analyzing glycan structure, unraveling glycan-protein interactions and establishing the functional significance of glycans. A meeting was held in November 2006 to explore the challenges and opportunities ahead for this emerging 'omics' domain.
Drug-resistant bacteria are a growing challenge to world health, and new approaches to antibiotic development are needed. Riboswitches, regulatory elements of mRNA, are shown to be a potential new target for antibiotic drugs.
RIG-I is an RNA helicase that senses viral infections and triggers innate and adaptive immune mechanisms. Recent studies have identified RNAs bearing 5′-triphosphates as ligands of RIG-I and have suggested a mechanism for how RIG-I distinguishes viral RNA from host RNA.
A copper-responsive transcriptional repressor with an unusual DNA binding fold has been identified that represents the founding member of an extensive new family of bacterial transcriptional regulators.
Imagine being able to rapidly switch on your favorite protein at a specified concentration, location and time in a live multicellular organism. Sounds like a dream? Recent advances in controlling protein splicing with small molecules are close to making it a reality.
After years of waiting, the road map for the path of the mRNA on the ribosome with its associated tRNAs has been completed. In contrast to the amino-acid-coding nucleotides of the body of the mRNA, the Shine-Delgarno region appears to take an unexpected turn on the surface of the 30S subunit in the transition from the initiation complex to the postinitiation complex.
