L-box

The L-box is a riboswitch that binds lysine and controls gene expression by a termination/ antitermination mechanism. Upon binding of lysine, the L-box adopts a terminator structure thtus preventing expression of lysC. In the absence of lysine, the L-box has an antiterminator structure that allows lysC expression and thus lysine biosynthesis.

Gene controlled by a L-box mechanism

lysC

References

Kenneth F Blount, Joy Xin Wang, Jinsoo Lim, Narasimhan Sudarsan, Ronald R Breaker
Antibacterial lysine analogs that target lysine riboswitches.
Nat Chem Biol: 2007, 3(1);44-9
[PubMed:17143270] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Narasimhan Sudarsan, J Kenneth Wickiser, Shingo Nakamura, Margaret S Ebert, Ronald R Breaker
An mRNA structure in bacteria that controls gene expression by binding lysine.
Genes Dev: 2003, 17(21);2688-97
[PubMed:14597663] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Frank J Grundy, Susan C Lehman, Tina M Henkin
The L box regulon: lysine sensing by leader RNAs of bacterial lysine biosynthesis genes.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A: 2003, 100(21);12057-62
[PubMed:14523230] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)