Hierarchical mechanism of amino acid sensing by the T-box riboswitch

In Gram-positive bacteria, T-box riboswitches control gene expression to maintain the cellular pools of aminoacylated tRNAs essential for protein biosynthesis. Co-transcriptional binding of an uncharged tRNA to the riboswitch stabilizes an antiterminator, allowing transcription read-through, whereas an aminoacylated tRNA does not. Recent structural studies have resolved two contact points between tRNA and Stem-I in the 5′ half of the T-box riboswitch, but little is known about the mechanism empowering transcriptional control by a small, distal aminoacyl modification. Using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, we have probed the kinetic and structural underpinnings of tRNA binding to a glycyl T-box riboswitch. We observe a two-step mechanism where fast, dynamic recruitment of tRNA by Stem-I is followed by ultra-stable anchoring by the downstream antiterminator, but only without aminoacylation. Our results support a hierarchical sensing mechanism wherein dynamic global binding of the tRNA body is followed by localized readout of its aminoacylation status by snap-lock-based trapping.