Dissecting the mechanism of heat shock response Non-coding RNAs are emerging as master regulators of gene expression. A European study obtained structural information on non-coding RNAs and elucidated their interaction with known proteins to determine how they function in various biological processes. Health © Thinkstock The heat shock response (HSR) in eukaryotes is an important mechanism for overcoming stress conditions such as changes in temperature. Recent studies indicate that a non-coding RNA is involved in the process through binding to the elongation factor eEF1A and activating the heat shock transcription factor. Currently there is no structural information available for the heat shock RNA or for any of the several other large non-coding RNAs that have recently been identified in eukaryotes. With this in mind, the EU-funded ‘Structural and functional studies of structured RNA involved in heat shock response’ (HSRRNA) project aimed to obtain structural information on non-coding RNAs in order to explain how they function. To achieve that, scientists isolated the 6S non-coding RNA known to interact with the enzyme RNA polymerase during bacterial transcription. The shape, secondary structure, stability and conformation of the 6S RNA were determined alongside its interaction with protein partners. Results did not reveal any modifications, suggesting that non-coding RNA function does not require covalent modification for activity. HSRRNA research has contributed important structural information about non-coding RNAs and their role in cellular responses. Although a relatively new field, the involvement of non-coding RNAs in gene transcription is expected to have significant implications for designing novel therapies that intervene with genomic transcription.
