Probing of Nascent Riboswitch Transcripts

The study of biologically significant and native structures is vital to characterize RNA-based regulatory mechanisms. Riboswitches are cis-acting RNA molecules that are involved in the biosynthesis and transport of cellular metabolites. Because riboswitches regulate gene expression by modulating their structure, it is vital to employ native probing assays to determine how native riboswitch structures perform highly efficient and specific ligand recognition. By employing RNase H probing, it is possible to determine the accessibility of specific RNA domains in various structural contexts. Herein, we describe how to employ RNase H probing to characterize nascent mRNA riboswitch molecules as a way to obtain information regarding the riboswitch regulation control mechanism.

Source: Springer protocols feed by Genetics/Genomics - September 15, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news