Spot 42 RNA

The Spot 42 (spf) RNA is a non-coding RNA molecule discovered almost three decades ago. Escherichia coli Spot 42 RNA is 109 nucleotides in length. Its physiological role has remained obscure, but Spot 42 seems to have a regulatory role on the galactose operon. It is proposed that Spot 42 acts by an antisense mechanism where the RNA binds to the galK translation initiator region. Changes in Spot 42 levels are implicated in affecting the adjacent DNA polymerase I levels. The Hfq protein has been shown to interact with several small regulatory RNAs in E. coli, and the protein is required for OxyS, DsrA, RprA and Spot 42 RNA regulation.