Cobalamin riboswitch is a cis-regulatory element which is widely distributed in 5' untranslated regions of vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) related genes in bacteria.
The FMN riboswitch is a highly conserved RNA element which is naturally occurring, and is found frequently in the 5'-untranslated regions of prokaryotic mRNAs that encode for flavin mononucleotide (FMN) biosynthesis and transport proteins. This element is a metabolite-dependent riboswitch that directly binds FMN in the absence of proteins, thus giving it the ability to regulate RNA expression by responding to changes in the concentration of FMN. In Bacillus subtilis, previous studies have shown that this bacterium utilizes at least two FMN riboswitches, where one controls translation initiation, and the other controls premature transcription termination. Regarding the second riboswitch in Bacilius subtilis, premature transcription termination occurs within the 5' untranslated region of the ribDEAHT operon, precluding access to the ribosome-binding site of ypaA mRNA. FMN riboswitches also have various magnesium and potassium ions dispersed throughout the nucleotide structure, some of which participate in binding of FMN.
The bacterial glycine riboswitch is an RNA element that can bind the amino acid glycine. Glycine riboswitches usually consist of two metabolite-binding aptamer domains with similar structures in tandem. The aptamers were originally thought to cooperatively bind glycine to regulate the expression of downstream genes. In Bacillus subtilis, this riboswitch is found upstream of the gcvT operon which controls glycine degradation. It is thought that when glycine is in excess it will bind to both aptamers to activate these genes and facilitate glycine degradation.
The YdaO/YuaA leader is a conserved RNA structure found upstream of the ydaO and yuaA genes in Bacillus subtilis and related genes in other bacteria. Its secondary structure and gene associations were predicted by bioinformatics.
The PreQ1-I riboswitch is a cis-acting element identified in bacteria which regulates expression of genes involved in biosynthesis of the nucleoside queuosine (Q) from GTP. PreQ1 (pre-queuosine1) is an intermediate in the queuosine pathway, and preQ1 riboswitch, as a type of riboswitch, is an RNA element that binds preQ1. The preQ1 riboswitch is distinguished by its unusually small aptamer, compared to other riboswitches. Its atomic-resolution three-dimensional structure has been determined, with the PDB ID 2L1V.
A purine riboswitch is a sequence of ribonucleotides in certain messenger RNA (mRNA) that selectively binds to purine ligands via a natural aptamer domain. This binding causes a conformational change in the mRNA that can affect translation by revealing an expression platform for a downstream gene, or by forming a translation-terminating stem-loop. The ultimate effects of such translational regulation often take action to manage an abundance of the instigating purine, and might produce proteins that facilitate purine metabolism or purine membrane uptake.
The SAM-II riboswitch is an RNA element found predominantly in Alphaproteobacteria that binds S-adenosyl methionine (SAM). Its structure and sequence appear to be unrelated to the SAM riboswitch found in Gram-positive bacteria. This SAM riboswitch is located upstream of the metA and metC genes in Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and other methionine and SAM biosynthesis genes in other alpha-proteobacteria. Like the other SAM riboswitch, it probably functions to turn off expression of these genes in response to elevated SAM levels. A significant variant of SAM-II riboswitches was found in Pelagibacter ubique and related marine bacteria and called SAM-V. Also, like many structured RNAs, SAM-II riboswitches can tolerate long loops between their stems.
The SAM riboswitch is found upstream of a number of genes which code for proteins involved in methionine or cysteine biosynthesis in Gram-positive bacteria. Two SAM riboswitches in Bacillus subtilis that were experimentally studied act at the level of transcription termination control. The predicted secondary structure consists of a complex stem-loop region followed by a single stem-loop terminator region. An alternative and mutually exclusive form involves bases in the 3' segment of helix 1 with those in the 5' region of helix 5 to form a structure termed the anti-terminator form. When SAM is unbound, the anti-terminator sequence sequesters the terminator sequence so the terminator is unable to form, allowing the polymerase to read-through the downstream gene. When S-Adenosyl methionine (SAM) is bound to the aptamer, the anti-terminator is sequestered by an anti-anti-terminator; the terminator forms and terminates the transcription. However, many SAM riboswitches are likely to regulate gene expression at the level of translation.
The TPP riboswitch, also known as the THI element and Thi-box riboswitch, is a highly conserved RNA secondary structure. It serves as a riboswitch that binds thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) directly and modulates gene expression through a variety of mechanisms in archaea, bacteria and eukaryotes. TPP is the active form of thiamine (vitamin B1), an essential coenzyme synthesised by coupling of pyrimidine and thiazole moieties in bacteria. The THI element is an extension of a previously detected thiamin-regulatory element, the thi box, there is considerable variability in the predicted length and structures of the additional and facultative stem-loops represented in dark blue in the secondary structure diagram Analysis of operon structures has identified a large number of new candidate thiamin-regulated genes, mostly transporters, in various prokaryotic organisms. The x-ray crystal structure of the TPP riboswitch aptamer has been solved.
PreQ1-II riboswitches form a class of riboswitches that specifically bind pre-queuosine1 (PreQ1), a precursor of the modified nucleoside queuosine. They are found in certain species of Streptococcus and Lactococcus, and were originally identified as a conserved RNA secondary structure called the "COG4708 motif". All known members of this riboswitch class appear to control members of COG4708 genes. These genes are predicted to encode membrane-bound proteins and have been proposed to be a transporter of preQ1, or a related metabolite, based on their association with preQ1-binding riboswitches. PreQ1-II riboswitches have no apparent similarities in sequence or structure to preQ1-I riboswitches, a previously discovered class of preQ1-binding riboswitches. PreQ1 thus joins S-adenosylmethionine as the second metabolite to be found that is the ligand of more than one riboswitch class.
Cyclic di-GMP-I riboswitches are a class of riboswitch that specifically bind cyclic di-GMP, which is a second messenger that is used in a variety of microbial processes including virulence, motility and biofilm formation. Cyclic di-GMP-I riboswitches were originally identified by bioinformatics as a conserved RNA-like structure called the "GEMM motif". These riboswitches are present in a wide variety of bacteria, and are most common in Clostridia and certain varieties of Pseudomonadota. The riboswitches are present in pathogens such as Clostridium difficile, Vibrio cholerae and Bacillus anthracis. Geobacter uraniumreducens is predicted to have 30 instances of this riboswitch in its genome. A bacteriophage that infects C. difficile is predicted to carry a cyclic di-GMP-I riboswitch, which it might use to detect and exploit the physiological state of bacteria that it infects.
The Magnesium responsive RNA element, not to be confused with the completely distinct M-box riboswitch, is a cis-regulatory element that regulates the expression of the magnesium transporter protein MgtA. It is located in the 5' UTR of this gene. The mechanism for the potential magnesium-sensing capacity of this RNA is still unclear, though a recent report suggests that the RNA element targets the mgtA transcript for degradation by RNase E when cells are grown in high Mg2+ environments.
Riboswitches are cis-acting regulatory elements located within the 5’UTR of mRNA transcripts. These regulatory elements bind small molecules which results in a conformational change within the 5’UTR of the mRNA. The changes in the mRNA secondary structure subsequently result in changes in the expression of the adjacent open reading frame.
The fluoride riboswitch is a conserved RNA structure identified by bioinformatics in a wide variety of bacteria and archaea. These RNAs were later shown to function as riboswitches that sense fluoride ions. These "fluoride riboswitches" increase expression of downstream genes when fluoride levels are elevated, and the genes are proposed to help mitigate the toxic effects of very high levels of fluoride.
The Downstream-peptide motif refers to a conserved RNA structure identified by bioinformatics in the cyanobacterial genera Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus and one phage that infects such bacteria. It was also detected in marine samples of DNA from uncultivated bacteria, which are presumably other species of cyanobacteria.
The glutamine riboswitch is a conserved RNA structure that was predicted by bioinformatics. It is present in a variety of lineages of cyanobacteria, as well as some phages that infect cyanobacteria. It is also found in DNA extracted from uncultivated bacteria living in the ocean that are presumably species of cyanobacteria.
The yjdF RNA motif is a conserved RNA structure identified using bioinformatics. Most yjdF RNAs are located in bacteria classified within the phylum Bacillota. A yjdF RNA is found in the presumed 5' untranslated region of the yjdF gene in Bacillus subtilis, and almost all yjdF RNAs are found in the 5' UTRs of homologs of this gene. The function of the yjdF gene is unknown, but the protein that it is predicted to encode is classified by the Pfam Database as DUF2992.
Cyclic di-GMP-II riboswitches form a class of riboswitches that specifically bind cyclic di-GMP, a second messenger used in multiple bacterial processes such as virulence, motility and biofilm formation. Cyclic di-GMP II riboswitches are structurally unrelated to cyclic di-GMP-I riboswitches, though they have the same function.
SAM-V riboswitch is the fifth known riboswitch to bind S-adenosyl methionine (SAM). It was first discovered in the marine bacterium Candidatus Pelagibacter ubique and can also be found in marine metagenomes. SAM-V features a similar consensus sequence and secondary structure as the binding site of SAM-II riboswitch, but bioinformatics scans cluster the two aptamers independently. These similar binding pockets suggest that the two riboswitches have undergone convergent evolution.
The queA RNA motif is a conserved RNA structure that was discovered by bioinformatics. queA motif RNAs have not yet been found in any classified organism; they are known from metagenomic sequences.