Featured Publications
Discovering riboswitches: the past and the future
Kavita K, Breaker RR. Discovering riboswitches: the past and the future. Trends In Biochemical Sciences 2022, 48: 119-141. PMID: 36150954, PMCID: PMC10043782, DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2022.08.009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNa+ riboswitches regulate genes for diverse physiological processes in bacteria
White N, Sadeeshkumar H, Sun A, Sudarsan N, Breaker RR. Na+ riboswitches regulate genes for diverse physiological processes in bacteria. Nature Chemical Biology 2022, 18: 878-885. PMID: 35879547, PMCID: PMC9337991, DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01086-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOsmotic stressGene expressionDiverse physiological processesMetal ion transportersGene expression changesExpression of genesRiboswitch classesBacterial proteinsIon transportersExpression changesPhysiological processesATP productionLow mM rangeGenesProteinExpressionBacteriaTranscriptionDissociation constantsOrganismsBiologyMM rangeTransportersMotifStressNatural circularly permuted group II introns in bacteria produce RNA circles
Roth A, Weinberg Z, Vanderschuren K, Murdock MH, Breaker RR. Natural circularly permuted group II introns in bacteria produce RNA circles. IScience 2021, 24: 103431. PMID: 34901790, PMCID: PMC8637638, DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103431.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
8-oxoguanine riboswitches in bacteria detect and respond to oxidative DNA damage
Dhakal S, Kavita K, Panchapakesan S, Roth A, Breaker R. 8-oxoguanine riboswitches in bacteria detect and respond to oxidative DNA damage. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2023, 120: e2307854120. PMID: 37748066, PMCID: PMC10556655, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2307854120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAptamer domainGene expressionLigand specificityOxidative damageLigand-binding pocketRiboswitch classesFamilies of bacteriaRare variantsRiboswitch aptamerCertain oxidative stressesExposure of cellsOxidative DNA damageRiboswitchGene associationsRNA aptamersDNA damageNucleotide poolBacteriaTarget ligandsOxidative stressMutationsNumerous alterationsPurine derivativesExpressionVariantsEvidence that OLE RNA is a component of a major stress‐responsive ribonucleoprotein particle in extremophilic bacteria
Breaker R, Harris K, Lyon S, Wencker F, Fernando C. Evidence that OLE RNA is a component of a major stress‐responsive ribonucleoprotein particle in extremophilic bacteria. Molecular Microbiology 2023, 120: 324-340. PMID: 37469248, DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15129.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOLE RNAPrecise biochemical functionFundamental cellular processesCell growthTOR complexesProtein partnersRibonucleoprotein complexesCellular processesRNP complexesBiochemical functionsGram-positive bacteriaNoncoding RNAsRibonucleoprotein particleExtremophilic bacteriaBacterial speciesGenetic disruptionStress conditionsDiverse pathwaysRNAMetabolic adaptationCell membraneExtreme environmentsCarbon sourceBacteriaComplexes
2018
Large Noncoding RNAs in Bacteria
Harris K, Breaker R. Large Noncoding RNAs in Bacteria. 2018, 515-526. DOI: 10.1128/9781683670247.ch30.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNcRNA classesSelfish genetic elementsLarge noncoding RNAsGenetic information processingProtein-coding regionsGroup II intronsSelf-splicing ribozymesStructured ncRNAsPrecursor tRNAsRNA splicingCellular processesDNA genomeNoncoding RNAsGenetic elementsGene expressionExon flanksPeptide bond formationRNA cleavagePhysiological adaptationsBind ionsRibozyme structureEssential roleRibozymeIntriguing possibilityBacteria
2016
Prospects for Noncoding RNA Discovery in Bacteria
Breaker R. Prospects for Noncoding RNA Discovery in Bacteria. The FASEB Journal 2016, 30 DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.386.1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNoncoding RNAsNovel biochemical functionLarge noncoding RNAsBacterial noncoding RNAsRNA world organismsSelf-cleaving ribozymesRiboswitch candidatesRNA discoveryBiological validation studiesBiochemical functionsBioinformatics analysisModern cellsWorld organismsRNAGreat diversityStructural diversityNovel ribozymesRibozymeDiversityBacteriaDiscoveryRiboswitchRNAsOrganismsCells
2008
Riboswitches as new antibiotics targets
Blount K, Breaker R. Riboswitches as new antibiotics targets. The FASEB Journal 2008, 22: 264.3-264.3. DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.264.3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDrug targetsAntibacterial drug discoveryNew antibiotic targetsNew cellular targetsDrug discoveryAntibiotic targetsRiboswitchGene expressionRNA structureCellular targetsDrug discoverersAntibacterial compoundsGenesLethal effectsBacteriaExpressionMetabolite analogsReceptorsTargetDiscoveryRNABindsSelective receptorsMRNARecent work
2006
Riboswitches as Genetic Control Elements
Nahvi A, Breaker R. Riboswitches as Genetic Control Elements. 2006, 89-106. DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-47257-7_6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGene control mechanismsCertain messenger RNAsGenetic control elementsGene expression systemRNA stabilityExpression platformRNA elementsExpression systemRiboswitchRNA structureLigand bindingMRNA transcriptionMessenger RNATarget metabolitesControl elementsTranscriptionControl mechanismsGenesRNABacteriaBindingExpressionTranslationMetabolitesAptamer