Riboflavin Riboswitch Regulation: Hands-On Learning about the Role of RNA Structures in the Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria.

ABSTRACT: American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Curriculum Guidelines highlight the importance of instruction about informational flow in organisms, including regulation of gene expression. However, foundational central dogma concepts and more advanced gene regulatory mechanisms are challenging for undergraduate biology students. To increase student comprehension of these principles, we designed an activity for upper-level biology students centered on construction and analysis of physical models of bacterial riboswitches. Students manipulate an inexpensive bag of supplies (beads, pipe cleaners) to model two conformations of a riboswitch in a bacterial transcript. After initial pilot testing, we implemented the activity in three upper-level classes at one research-intensive and two primarily underg

SUBMITTER: Vrentas CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5976028 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature