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Pinel-Marie ML, Brielle R, Riffaud C, Germain-Amiot N, Polacek N, Felden B. RNA antitoxin SprF1 binds ribosomes to attenuate translation and promote persister cell formation in Staphylococcus aureus. Nat Microbiol 2021; 6:209-220. [PMID: 33398097 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-020-00819-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Persister cells are a subpopulation of transiently antibiotic-tolerant bacteria associated with chronic infection and antibiotic treatment failure. Toxin-antitoxin systems have been linked to persister cell formation but the molecular mechanisms leading to bacterial persistence are mostly unknown. Here, we show that SprF1, a type I antitoxin, associates with translating ribosomes from the major human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus to reduce the pathogen's overall protein synthesis during growth. Under hyperosmotic stress, SprF1 levels increase due to enhanced stability, accumulate on polysomes and attenuate protein synthesis. Using an internal 6-nucleotide sequence on its 5'-end, SprF1 binds ribosomes and interferes with initiator transfer RNA binding, thus reducing translation initiation. An excess of messenger RNA displaces the ribosome-bound antitoxin, freeing the ribosomes for new translation cycles; however, this RNA antitoxin can also displace ribosome-bound mRNA. This translation attenuation mechanism, mediated by an RNA antitoxin, promotes antibiotic persister cell formation. The untranslated SprF1 is a dual-function RNA antitoxin that represses toxin expression by its 3'-end and fine-tunes overall bacterial translation via its 5'-end. These findings demonstrate a general function for a bacterial RNA antitoxin beyond protection from toxicity. They also highlight an RNA-guided molecular process that influences antibiotic persister cell formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Laure Pinel-Marie
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine UMR_S 1230, Rennes, France.
| | - Régine Brielle
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine UMR_S 1230, Rennes, France
| | - Camille Riffaud
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine UMR_S 1230, Rennes, France
| | - Noëlla Germain-Amiot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine UMR_S 1230, Rennes, France
| | - Norbert Polacek
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Bern University, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Brice Felden
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine UMR_S 1230, Rennes, France.
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Zhang L, He J, Bai L, Ruan S, Yang T, Luo Y. Ribosome-targeting antibacterial agents: Advances, challenges, and opportunities. Med Res Rev 2021; 41:1855-1889. [PMID: 33501747 DOI: 10.1002/med.21780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Ribosomes, which synthesize proteins, are critical organelles for the survival and growth of bacteria. About 60% of approved antibiotics discovered so far combat pathogenic bacteria by targeting ribosomes. However, several issues, such as drug resistance and toxicity, have impeded the clinical use of ribosome-targeting antibiotics. Moreover, the complexity of the bacteria ribosome structure has retarded the discovery of new ribosome-targeting agents that are considered as the key to the drug-resistance and toxicity. To deal with these challenges, efforts such as medicinal chemistry optimization, combination treatment, and new drug delivery system have been developed. But not enough, the development of structural biology and new screening methods bring powerful tools, such as cryo-electron microscopy technology, advanced computer-aided drug design, and cell-free in vitro transcription/translation systems, for the discovery of novel ribosome-targeting antibiotics. Thus, in this paper, we overview the research on different aspects of bacterial ribosomes, especially focus on discussing the challenges in the discovery of ribosome-targeting antibacterial drugs and advances made to address issues such as drug-resistance and selectivity, which, we believe, provide perspectives for the discovery of novel antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laiying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jun He
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lang Bai
- Center of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shihua Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Laboratory of Human Diseases and Immunotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Youfu Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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