Gene regulation in bacteria - Riboswitches

6 important questions on Gene regulation in bacteria - Riboswitches

How is the thi operon in bacteria regulated?

By a riboswitch that controls transcription.

What happens during transcription when TPP levels are low (steps)?


- The secondary structure of the formed mRNA has a stem-loop called an antiterminator;
- That antiterminator prevents the formation of the terminator stem-loop;
- Transcription of the entire thi operon occurs.

What happens during transcription when TPP levels are high (steps)?


- TPP binds to the RNA as it is being made and causes a change in its secondary structure;
- A terminator stem-loop forms;
- This causes p-independent termination;
- Because of the abrupt stop in transcription, this inhibits the production of the enzymes needed to make TPP.
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What is an other way bacteria regulate the genes that encode for TPP synthesizing proteins?

A riboswitch that controls translation.

What happens with a translation-regulating riboswitch when TPP levels are low?

- The 5' end of the mRNA folds into a stem-loop containing structure called the Shine-Dalgarno antisequestor;
- The Shine-Dalgarno sequence is accessible to ribosome binding;
- The mRNA is translated.

In what kind of bacteria are the operons that encode for TPP regulated by transcription-regulating riboswitch, and in what kind of bacteria by the translation-regulating riboswitch?

- Transcription-regulating riboswitch: E.coli;
- Translation-regulating riboswitch: B.subtilis.

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