In molecular biology, a riboswitch is a regulatory segment of a messenger RNA molecule that binds a small molecule, resulting in a change in production of the proteins encoded by the mRNA. Thus, an mRNA that contains a riboswitch is directly involved in regulating its own activity, in response to the concentrations of its effector molecule. The discovery that modern organisms use RNA to bind small molecules, and discriminate against closely related analogs, expanded the known natural capabilities of RNA beyond its ability to code for proteins, catalyze reactions, or to bind other RNA or protein macromolecules. The original definition of the term "riboswitch" specified that they directly sense small-molecule metabolite concentrations. Although this definition remains in common use, some biologists have used a broader definition that includes other cis-regulatory RNAs.
Tetrahydrofolate riboswitches are a class of homologous RNAs in certain bacteria that bind tetrahydrofolate (THF). It is almost exclusively located in the probable 5' untranslated regions of protein-coding genes, and most of these genes are known to encode either folate transporters or enzymes involved in folate metabolism. Here you have the crystal structure of the folate riboswitch from Streptococcus mutans (PDB code: 6Q57)
#molecularart ... #immolecular ... #riboswitch ... #streptococcus ... #folate ... #catalytis ... #xray
RNA structure rendered with @proteinimaging and represented with @corelphotopaint
Tetrahydrofolate riboswitches are a class of homologous RNAs in certain bacteria that bind tetrahydrofolate (THF). It is almost exclusively located in the probable 5' untranslated regions of protein-coding genes, and most of these genes are known to encode either folate transporters or enzymes involved in folate metabolism. Here you have the crystal structure of the folate riboswitch from Streptococcus mutans (PDB code: 6Q57)
#molecularart ... #immolecular ... #riboswitch ... #streptococcus ... #folate ... #catalytis ... #xray
RNA structure rendered with @proteinimaging and represented with @corelphotopaint
