LysM RNA motifs

lysM RNA motifs are conserved RNA structures that were discovered by bioinformatics. Such bacterial motifs are defined by consistently being upstream of 'lysM' genes, which encode lysin protein domains, a conserved domain that participates in cell wall degradation. lysM motif RNAs likely function as cis-regulatory elements, in view of their positions upstream of protein-coding genes, although this hypothesis is not certain.

Three lysM RNA motifs have been found. lysM-Actino motif RNAs are found in Actinomycetales. lysM-Prevotella motif RNAs are found in the genus Prevotella. The lysM-TM7 RNA motif occurs only in the poorly understood phylum TM7.

A part of the lysM-Actino motif is likely the Shine-Dalgarno sequence of the downstream lysM gene. Thus, these RNAs might regulate the downstream gene translationally.