Question

Which of the following are examples of how secondary structure of an mRNA regulates the expression of the gene from which it was made?

A. Attenuation of transcription of biosynthetic operons such as the trp operon.
B. Premature termination of transcription by a riboswitch in the 5 ? UTR.
C. Prevention of translation by a riboswitch in the 5 ?UTR.
D. All of the above.

Answer 1

In gene expression regulation, secondary structures of mRNA such as stem-loop formations are crucial, affecting both the continuation of transcripts in attenuation and the interaction with riboswitches that can halt transcription or prevent translation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The secondary structure of mRNA can play a vital role in regulating the expression of genes. One such mechanism is attenuation, which is particularly significant in prokaryotic cells like E. coli. In the trp operon, a leader sequence with potential stem-loop structures can form, influencing whether transcription continues or terminates. Additionally, riboswitches present in the 5' UTR (untranslated region) of an mRNA can either cause premature termination of transcription or prevent translation, depending on the interaction with small metabolites that stabilize specific stem-loop structures.

Considering the provided options, the correct answer is D. All of the above.