Grant: Operating Grant

Riboswitches are structured RNA elements typically found in the 5' untranslated regions (5'-UTR) of mRNAs, where they regulate gene expression by binding to small metabolites. A major goal of our research is to unravel the molecular mechanisms by which the TPP riboswitches harness the binding of ligands to selectively control gene expression. An understanding of the interactions between riboswitches and their metabolite ligands should provide insights into the ability of RNA to act as a genetic switch. This knowledge might empower future efforts to design novel general antimicrobial drug development approaches for generating analogs of riboswitch ligands, disrupt regulation of key metabolic pathways, and thus be selectively toxic to bacteria that carry these RNAs.