Difference between revisions of "Riboswitch"
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Revision as of 10:48, 20 November 2007
A riboswich is a part of an mRNA that can directly bind to a small target molecule and whose binding affects the gene's ability. There are two aspects of a riboswitch, the aptamer and the expression platform. The aptamer portion binds to a target molecules and changes shape, affecting the expression platform, which is how gene expression is regulated. Some types of riboswitch mechanisms include:
- Formation of transcription termination hairpins
- Blockage of translation by folding to isolate ribosome-binding sites
- Effect of folding on splicing of mRNA
- Self-cleavage ribozymes that cleave themselves in the presence of a target molecule
