The ribosome as a small-molecule sensor

Curr Opin Microbiol. 2023 Dec 29;77:102418. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102418. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTSensing small molecules is crucial for microorganisms to adapt their genetic programs to changes in their environment. Arrest peptides encoded by short regulatory open reading frames program the ribosomes that translate them to undergo translational arrest in response to specific metabolites. Ribosome stalling in turn controls the expression of downstream genes on the same messenger RNA by translational or transcriptional means. In this review, we present our current understanding of the mechanisms by which ribosomes translating arrest peptides sense different metabolites, such as antibiotics or amino acids, to control gene expression.PMID:38159358 | DOI:10.1016/j.mib.2023.102418
Source: Current Opinion in Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Source Type: research