An RNA transcriptional regulator templates its own regulatory RNA.

The bacterial transcriptional repressor 6S RNA mimics the DNA contained in a melted promoter and forms specific interactions with the active site of RNA polymerase. A new study shows that, surprisingly, 6S RNA acts as a template for the synthesis of small RNAs, which liberates the polymerase from 6S RNA. Hence, the transcriptional repressor 6S RNA serves as a template for the synthesis of its own de-repressive RNA.