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Molecular biology

RNA gets a grip on translation

Nature volume 419, pages 890–891 (2002)Cite this article

These are interesting times for those who study RNA. The latest curious discovery is that some messenger RNAs have sequences that sense small molecules directly, so controlling translation of the RNA into protein.

Over the past decade, researchers have applied the principles of darwinian evolution in the laboratory to generate hundreds of RNA sequences that fold into unique shapes and thereby bind to specific target molecules. The experiments revealed the capacity of these folded RNAs — commonly known as aptamers — to recognize virtually any molecular target, but led to a growing mystery: why is this ability not used in nature? Two papers from a group led by Ron Breaker, published on page 952 of this issue1 and in Chemistry and Biology2, now dissolve this conundrum, by showing that regulatory sequences in certain bacterial messenger RNAs can in fact sense small molecules directly.

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Figure 1: RNA as metabolite sensor and translation regulator.

References

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  1. Department of Molecular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, 02114, Massachusetts, USA

    Jack W. Szostak

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  1. Jack W. Szostak
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Correspondence to Jack W. Szostak.

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Szostak, J. RNA gets a grip on translation. Nature 419, 890–891 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/419890a

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