Biomaterial Database

Opening the closed ribosome-binding site of the lysis cistron of bacteriophage MS2. 1983

R A Kastelein, and B Berkhout, and J van Duin

Department of Biochemistry, University of Leiden, PO Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.

In prokaryotes gene expression is mainly regulated at the levels of transcription and translation. An important form of translational control operates at the initiation of protein synthesis. For instance the translation of an existing mRNA can be prevented by features in the mRNA structure that prohibit binding of ribosomes. This type of control is frequently applied to polycistronic mRNA to forestall translation of a downstream cistron until the 5' neighbouring cistron has been read (1-7). Such translational coupling or sequential reading also facilitates the shutting off of several cistrons from one control point(6). An interesting example of a nontranslatable message is the lysis (L) cistron, present as an overlapping gene in the RNA bacteriophage MS2 (refs 8-10; Fig. 1). The start of the L cistron is not directly accessible to ribosomes. Instead its translation is strictly coupled to the passage of ribosomes over the preceding coat cistron(2). We have now analysed which features in the MS2 RNA structure deny ribosomes access to the start of the L message. We report here that small deletions, introduced about 40 nucleotides 5' to the start codon of the L gene, remove the initiation barrier and open the cistron to independent translation. An RNA secondary structure accounting for the closed state of the ribosome binding site is proposed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009690	Nucleic Acid Conformation	The spatial arrangement of the atoms of a nucleic acid or polynucleotide that results in its characteristic 3-dimensional shape.	DNA Conformation,RNA Conformation,Conformation, DNA,Conformation, Nucleic Acid,Conformation, RNA,Conformations, DNA,Conformations, Nucleic Acid,Conformations, RNA,DNA Conformations,Nucleic Acid Conformations,RNA Conformations
D010957	Plasmids	Extrachromosomal, usually CIRCULAR DNA molecules that are self-replicating and transferable from one organism to another. They are found in a variety of bacterial, archaeal, fungal, algal, and plant species. They are used in GENETIC ENGINEERING as CLONING VECTORS.	Episomes,Episome,Plasmid
D003001	Cloning, Molecular	The insertion of recombinant DNA molecules from prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic sources into a replicating vehicle, such as a plasmid or virus vector, and the introduction of the resultant hybrid molecules into recipient cells without altering the viability of those cells.	Molecular Cloning
D005807	Genes, Overlapping	Genes whose nucleotide sequences overlap to some degree. The overlapped sequences may involve structural or regulatory genes of eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells.	Overlapping Genes,Gene, Overlapping,Overlapping Gene
D005814	Genes, Viral	The functional hereditary units of VIRUSES.	Viral Genes,Gene, Viral,Viral Gene
D001433	Bacteriolysis	Rupture of bacterial cells due to mechanical force, chemical action, or the lytic growth of BACTERIOPHAGES.	Bacteriolyses
D001483	Base Sequence	The sequence of PURINES and PYRIMIDINES in nucleic acids and polynucleotides. It is also called nucleotide sequence.	DNA Sequence,Nucleotide Sequence,RNA Sequence,DNA Sequences,Base Sequences,Nucleotide Sequences,RNA Sequences,Sequence, Base,Sequence, DNA,Sequence, Nucleotide,Sequence, RNA,Sequences, Base,Sequences, DNA,Sequences, Nucleotide,Sequences, RNA
D001665	Binding Sites	The parts of a macromolecule that directly participate in its specific combination with another molecule.	Combining Site,Binding Site,Combining Sites,Site, Binding,Site, Combining,Sites, Binding,Sites, Combining
D012270	Ribosomes	Multicomponent ribonucleoprotein structures found in the CYTOPLASM of all cells, and in MITOCHONDRIA, and PLASTIDS. They function in PROTEIN BIOSYNTHESIS via GENETIC TRANSLATION.	Ribosome
D012333	RNA, Messenger	RNA sequences that serve as templates for protein synthesis. Bacterial mRNAs are generally primary transcripts in that they do not require post-transcriptional processing. Eukaryotic mRNA is synthesized in the nucleus and must be exported to the cytoplasm for translation. Most eukaryotic mRNAs have a sequence of polyadenylic acid at the 3' end, referred to as the poly(A) tail. The function of this tail is not known for certain, but it may play a role in the export of mature mRNA from the nucleus as well as in helping stabilize some mRNA molecules by retarding their degradation in the cytoplasm.	Messenger RNA,Messenger RNA, Polyadenylated,Poly(A) Tail,Poly(A)+ RNA,Poly(A)+ mRNA,RNA, Messenger, Polyadenylated,RNA, Polyadenylated,mRNA,mRNA, Non-Polyadenylated,mRNA, Polyadenylated,Non-Polyadenylated mRNA,Poly(A) RNA,Polyadenylated mRNA,Non Polyadenylated mRNA,Polyadenylated Messenger RNA,Polyadenylated RNA,RNA, Polyadenylated Messenger,mRNA, Non Polyadenylated