A small RNA is isolated from a bacterial cell. When a comparison is performed be

Question

A small RNA is isolated from a bacterial cell. When a comparison is performed between this RNA and other RNAs from this bacterium there are no sequences that match. However, many of the complementary sequences of this short RNA do match other RNAs from the cell. What is the function of this small RNA?

a) It probably binds to mRNAs and inhibits translation.

b) It probably binds to the operator region of an operon and inhibits transcription.

c) It is probably part of an attenuator region.

d) It is probably an artifact of RNA isolation and is not predicted to have a function in the cell.

Explanation / Answer

a) It probably binds to mRNAs and inhibits translation.

Small interfering RNA's are those that bind to the complementary sequence of mRNA and cleave at that site, which inhibits the translation process. This is a mechanism of RNA silencing.

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