Alpha operon ribosome binding site

{{Infobox rfam

| Name = Alpha operon ribosome binding site

| image = RF00140.jpg

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| caption = Predicted secondary structure and sequence conservation of Alpha_RBS

| Symbol = Alpha_RBS

| AltSymbols =

| Rfam = RF00140

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| RNA_type = Cis-reg

| Tax_domain = Bacteria

| GO =

| SO = {{SO|0000233}}

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| EntrezGene =

| HGNCid =

| OMIM =

| PDB =

| RefSeq =

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}}

The alpha operon ribosome binding site in bacteria is surrounded by this complex pseudoknotted RNA structure. Translation of the mRNA produces 4 ribosomal protein products, one of which (S4) acts as a translational repressor by binding to the nested pseudoknot region. The mechanism of repression is thought to involve a conformational switch in the pseudoknot region and ribosome entrapment.{{cite journal | vauthors = Schlax PJ, Xavier KA, Gluick TC, Draper DE | title = Translational repression of the Escherichia coli alpha operon mRNA: importance of an mRNA conformational switch and a ternary entrapment complex | journal = The Journal of Biological Chemistry | volume = 276 | issue = 42 | pages = 38494–38501 | date = October 2001 | pmid = 11504736 | doi = 10.1074/jbc.M106934200 | doi-access = free }}