Novel application of sRNA: stimulation of ribosomal frameshifting.

Small RNAs play an important role in regulation of gene expression in eukaryotic and eubacterial cells by modulating gene expression both at the level of transcription and translation. Here, we show that short complementary RNAs can also affect gene expression by stimulating ribosomal frameshifting in vitro. This finding has important implications for understanding the process of ribosomal frameshifting and for the potential application of small RNAs in the treatment of diseases that are due to frameshift mutations.