Regulation of Prokaryotic Gene Expression: Coordination of transcription and translation

Although transcriptional regulation of mRNA production is primary in bacteria, regulation of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and protein synthesis plays important roles in adaptation to environmental stress.
1. Stringent response: E. coli has seven operons that synthesize the rRNA needed for ribosome assembly, and each is regulated in response to changes in environmental conditions. Regulation in response to amino acid starvation is known as the stringent response. The binding of an uncharged transfer RNA (tRNA) to the A site of a ribosome  triggers a series of events that leads to the production of the alarmone guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp). The synthesis of this unusual derivative of guanosine diphosphate (GDP) is catalyzed by stringent factor (RelA), an enzyme physically associated with ribosomes. Elevated levels of ppGpp result in inhibition of rRNA synthesis (Fig. 1). [Note: In addition to rRNA synthesis, tRNA synthesis and some mRNA synthesis (for example, for ribosomal proteins) are also inhibited.
However, synthesis of mRNA for enzymes required for amino acid biosynthesis is not inhibited. ppGpp binds RNA pol and alters promoter selection through use of different sigma factors for the polymerase.]

Figure 1: Regulation of transcription by the stringent response to amino acid starvation. S = Svedberg unit.
2. Regulatory ribosomal proteins: Operons for ribosomal proteins (rproteins) can be inhibited by an excess of their own protein products. For each operon, one specific r-protein functions in the repression of translation of the polycistronic mRNA from that operon (Fig. 2). The r-protein does so by binding to the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence located on the mRNA just upstream of the first initiating AUG codon (see p. 448) and acting as a physical impediment to the binding of the small ribosomal subunit to the SD sequence. Thus, one r-protein inhibits synthesis of all the r-proteins of the operon. This same r-protein also binds to rRNA and with a higher affinity than for mRNA. If the
concentration of rRNA falls, the r-protein then is available to bind its own mRNA and inhibit its translation. This coordinated regulation keeps the synthesis of r-proteins in balance with the transcription of rRNA, so that each is present in appropriate amounts for the formation of ribosomes.

Figure 2:  Regulation of translation by an excess of ribosomal proteins. mRNA = messenger RNA; rRNA = ribosomal RNA.

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