Messenger RNA Turnover Processes in Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Emerging Studies in Staphylococcus aureus

Figure 3

Small RNAs base pair with mRNA targets to affect mRNA stability. Antisense base pairing between sRNAs and their target transcripts mediates mRNA stability by altering the susceptibility of the message to RNases and the translation machinery. Pairing may destabilize mRNA by facilitating RNase-mediated degradation resulting in translation inhibition. In contrast, pairing may stabilize mRNA by inhibiting RNase-mediated degradation resulting in translation of the message and increased protein production.