sRNA expedites polycistronic mRNA decay in .

In bacteria, most small RNA (sRNA) elicits RNase E-mediated target mRNA degradation by binding near the translation initiation site at the 5' end of the target mRNA. Spot 42 is an sRNA that binds in the middle of the operon near the translation initiation site of , the third gene of four, but it is not clear whether this binding causes degradation of mRNA. In this study, we measured the decay rate of mRNA using Northern blot and found that Spot 42 binding caused degradation of only a specific group of mRNA that shares their 3' end with full-length mRNA.

Translation Initiation Control of RNase E-Mediated Decay of Polycistronic mRNA.

In bacteria, mRNA decay is a major mechanism for regulating gene expression. In , mRNA decay initiates with endonucleolytic cleavage by RNase E. Translating ribosomes impede RNase E cleavage, thus providing stability to mRNA.