See how RNA turns on and off: it regulates gene expression

RNA switches (called riboswitches) determine which genes are turned on and which are turned off.

Although this may seem like a simple process, the details have not been well studied.

The researchers have now run simulations andfound that one piece of RNA smoothly invades and displaces another piece of the same RNA, allowing the structure to change shape rapidly and abruptly. It turned out that this mechanism affects genetic expression.

During the work, scientists modeleda riboswitch that is responsible for turning genes on and off. Let us recall that this is a nucleotide sequence that carries out cis-regulation of the mRNA on which it is located. The riboswitch binds to ligands—a variety of small molecules, such as cobamide, thiamine pyrophosphate, lysine, glycine, flavin mononucleotide, guanine, adenine, and others.

Scientists made the discovery by observing up close and inaction slow simulation of the riboswitch. It models RNA in three dimensions, interacts along its length, and folds to turn a gene on or off. The findings may have potential implications for RNA-based diagnostics and drug development.

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