Killer and protective ribosomes

Re-defining how mRNA degradation is coordinated with transcription and translation in bacteria

In eukaryotic cells, transcription, translation, and mRNA degradation occur in distinct subcellular regions. How these mRNA processes are organized in bacteria, without employing membrane-bound compartments, remains unclear. Here, we present generalizable principles underlying coordination between these processes in bacteria. In Escherichia coli, we found that co-transcriptional degradation is rare for mRNAs except for those encoding inner membrane proteins, due to membrane localization of the main ribonuclease, RNase E. We further found, by varying ribosome binding sequences, that translation affects mRNA stability not because ribosomes protect mRNA from degradation, but because low translation leads to premature transcription termination in the absence of transcription-translation coupling. Extending our analyses to Bacillus subtilis and Caulobacter crescentus, we established subcellular localization of RNase E (or its homolog) and premature transcription termination in the absence of transcription-translation coupling as key determinants that explain differences in transcriptional and translational coupling to mRNA degradation across genes and species.

Direct and indirect control of Rho-dependent transcription termination by the Escherichia coli lysC riboswitch

Bacterial riboswitches are molecular structures that play a crucial role in controlling gene expression to maintain cellular balance. The Escherichia coli lysC riboswitch has been previously shown to regulate gene expression through translation initiation and mRNA decay. Recent research suggests that lysC gene expression is also influenced by Rho-dependent transcription termination. Through a series of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo experiments, we provide experimental evidence that the lysC riboswitch directly and indirectly modulates Rho transcription termination. Our study demonstrates that Rho-dependent transcription termination plays a significant role in the cotranscriptional regulation of lysC expression. Together with previous studies, our work suggests that lysC expression is governed by a lysine-sensing riboswitch that regulates translation initiation, transcription termination, and mRNA degradation. Notably, both Rho and RNase E target the same region of the RNA molecule, implying that RNase E may degrade Rho-terminated transcripts, providing a means to selectively eliminate these incomplete messenger RNAs. Overall, this study sheds light on the complex regulatory mechanisms used by bacterial riboswitches, emphasizing the role of transcription termination in the control of gene expression and mRNA stability.

5'UTR sequences influence protein levels in Escherichia coli by regulating translation initiation and mRNA stability

A set of 41 synthetic 5'UTRs with different theoretical translation initiation rates were generated to explore the role of 5'UTRs in the regulation of protein levels in Escherichia coli. The roles of the synthetic 5'UTRs in regulating the expression of different reporter genes were analyzed in vivo. Protein levels varied substantially between the different constructs but for most of the 5'UTRs, protein levels were not correlated with theoretical translation initiation rates. Large variations in mRNA concentrations were measured with the different 5'UTRs even though the same concentration of transcription inducer was used in each case. 5'UTRs were also found to strongly affect mRNA stability, and these changes in mRNA stability often contributed to observed differences in mRNA concentration. Unexpectedly, the effect of the 5'UTRs on mRNA half-lives was found to vary depending on the downstream reporter gene. These results clearly demonstrate that 5'UTRs contribute to gene expression regulation at the level of translation initiation and of mRNA stability, to an extent that depends on the nature of the downstream gene.

Genetic regulation of the ompX porin of Salmonella Typhimurium in response to hydrogen peroxide stress

Background

Salmonella Typhimurium is a Gram-negative pathogen that causes a systemic disease in mice resembling typhoid fever. During its infective cycle, S. Typhimurium is phagocytized by macrophages and proliferates inside a Salmonella-containing vacuole where Salmonella is exposed and survives oxidative stress induced by H₂O₂ through modulation of gene expression. After exposure of Salmonella to H₂O₂, the expression of the porin-encoding gene ompX increases, as previously shown by microarray analysis. Expression of ompX mRNA is regulated at a post-transcriptional level by MicA and CyaR sRNAs in aerobiosis. In addition, sequence analysis predicts a site for OxyS sRNA in ompX mRNA.

Results

In this work we sought to evaluate the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of ompX under H₂O₂ stress. We demonstrate that ompX expression is induced at the transcriptional level in S. Typhimurium under such conditions. Unexpectedly, an increase in ompX gene transcript and promoter activity after challenges with H₂O₂ does not translate into increased protein levels in the wild-type strain, suggesting that ompX mRNA is also regulated at a post-transcriptional level, at least under oxidative stress. In silico gene sequence analysis predicted that sRNAs CyaR, MicA, and OxyS could regulate ompX mRNA levels. Using rifampicin to inhibit mRNA expression, we show that the sRNAs (MicA, CyaR and OxyS) and the sRNA:mRNA chaperone Hfq positively modulate ompX mRNA levels under H₂O₂-induced stress in Salmonella during the exponential growth phase in Lennox broth.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that ompX mRNA is regulated in response to H₂O₂ by the sRNAs CyaR, MicA and OxyS is Salmonella Typhimurium.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40659-022-00377-3.

Impact of pseudouridylation, substrate fold, and degradosome organization on the endonuclease activity of RNase E

The conserved endoribonuclease RNase E dominates the dynamic landscape of RNA metabolism and underpins control mediated by small regulatory RNAs in diverse bacterial species. We explored the enzyme's hydrolytic mechanism, allosteric activation, and interplay with partner proteins in the multicomponent RNA degradosome assembly of Escherichia coli. RNase E cleaves single-stranded RNA with preference to attack the phosphate located at the 5' nucleotide preceding uracil, and we corroborate key interactions that select that base. Unexpectedly, RNase E activity is impeded strongly when the recognized uracil is isomerized to 5-ribosyluracil (pseudouridine), from which we infer the detailed geometry of the hydrolytic attack process. Kinetics analyses support models for recognition of secondary structure in substrates by RNase E and for allosteric autoregulation. The catalytic power of the enzyme is boosted when it is assembled into the multienzyme RNA degradosome, most likely as a consequence of substrate capture and presentation. Our results rationalize the origins of substrate preferences of RNase E and illuminate its catalytic mechanism, supporting the roles of allosteric domain closure and cooperation with other components of the RNA degradosome complex.

Multi-scale ensemble properties of the Escherichia coli RNA degradosome

In organisms from all domains of life, multi-enzyme assemblies play central roles in defining transcript lifetimes and facilitating RNA-mediated regulation of gene expression. An assembly dedicated to such roles, known as the RNA degradosome, is found amongst bacteria from highly diverse lineages. About a fifth of the assembly mass of the degradosome of Escherichia coli and related species is predicted to be intrinsically disordered - a property that has been sustained for over a billion years of bacterial molecular history and stands in marked contrast to the high degree of sequence variation of that same region. Here, we characterize the conformational dynamics of the degradosome using a hybrid structural biology approach that combines solution scattering with ad hoc ensemble modelling, cryo-electron microscopy, and other biophysical methods. The E. coli degradosome can form punctate bodies in vivo that may facilitate its functional activities, and based on our results, we propose an electrostatic switch model to account for the propensity of the degradosome to undergo programmable puncta formation.

The essential role of mRNA degradation in understanding and engineering E. coli metabolism

Metabolic engineering strategies are crucial for the development of bacterial cell factories with improved performance. Until now, optimal metabolic networks have been designed based on systems biology approaches integrating large-scale data on the steady-state concentrations of mRNA, protein and metabolites, sometimes with dynamic data on fluxes, but rarely with any information on mRNA degradation. In this review, we compile growing evidence that mRNA degradation is a key regulatory level in E. coli that metabolic engineering strategies should take into account. We first discuss how mRNA degradation interacts with transcription and translation, two other gene expression processes, to balance transcription regulation and remove poorly translated mRNAs. The many reciprocal interactions between mRNA degradation and metabolism are also highlighted: metabolic activity can be controlled by changes in mRNA degradation and in return, the activity of the mRNA degradation machinery is controlled by metabolic factors. The mathematical models of the crosstalk between mRNA degradation dynamics and other cellular processes are presented and discussed with a view towards novel mRNA degradation-based metabolic engineering strategies. We show finally that mRNA degradation-based strategies have already successfully been applied to improve heterologous protein synthesis. Overall, this review underlines how important mRNA degradation is in regulating E. coli metabolism and identifies mRNA degradation as a key target for innovative metabolic engineering strategies in biotechnology.

Systematic Quantification of Sequence and Structural Determinants Controlling mRNA stability in Bacterial Operons

mRNA degradation is a central process that affects all gene expression levels, and yet, the determinants that control mRNA decay rates remain poorly characterized. Here, we applied a synthetic biology, learn-by-design approach to elucidate the sequence and structural determinants that control mRNA stability in bacterial operons. We designed, constructed, and characterized 82 operons in Escherichia coli, systematically varying RNase binding site characteristics, translation initiation rates, and transcriptional terminator efficiencies in the 5' untranslated region (UTR), intergenic, and 3' UTR regions, followed by measuring their mRNA levels using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays during exponential growth. We show that introducing long single-stranded RNA into 5' UTRs reduced mRNA levels by up to 9.4-fold and that lowering translation rates reduced mRNA levels by up to 11.8-fold. We also found that RNase binding sites in intergenic regions had much lower effects on mRNA levels. Surprisingly, changing the transcriptional termination efficiency or introducing long single-stranded RNA into 3' UTRs had no effect on upstream mRNA levels. From these measurements, we developed and validated biophysical models of ribosome protection and RNase activity with excellent quantitative agreement. We also formulated design rules to rationally control a mRNA's stability, facilitating the automated design of engineered genetic systems with desired functionalities.

Translation Initiation Control of RNase E-Mediated Decay of Polycistronic gal mRNA

In bacteria, mRNA decay is a major mechanism for regulating gene expression. In Escherichia coli, mRNA decay initiates with endonucleolytic cleavage by RNase E. Translating ribosomes impede RNase E cleavage, thus providing stability to mRNA. In transcripts containing multiple cistrons, the translation of each cistron initiates separately. The effect of internal translation initiations on the decay of polycistronic transcripts remains unknown, which we have investigated here using the four-cistron galETKM transcript. We find that RNase E cleaves a few nucleotides (14-36) upstream of the translation initiation site of each cistron, generating decay intermediates galTKM, galKM, and galM mRNA with fewer but full cistrons. Blocking translation initiation reduced stability, particularly of the mutated cistrons and when they were the 5'-most cistrons. This indicates that, together with translation failure, the location of the cistron is important for its elimination. The instability of the 5'-most cistron did not propagate to the downstream cistrons, possibly due to translation initiation there. Cistron elimination from the 5' end was not always sequential, indicating that RNase E can also directly access a ribosome-free internal cistron. The finding in gal operon of mRNA decay by cistron elimination appears common in E. coli and Salmonella.

BR-Bodies Provide Selectively Permeable Condensates that Stimulate mRNA Decay and Prevent Release of Decay Intermediates

Biomolecular condensates play a key role in organizing RNAs and proteins into membraneless organelles. Bacterial RNP-bodies (BR-bodies) are a biomolecular condensate containing the RNA degradosome mRNA decay machinery, but the biochemical function of such organization remains poorly defined. Here, we define the RNA substrates of BR-bodies through enrichment of the bodies followed by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). We find that long, poorly translated mRNAs, small RNAs, and antisense RNAs are the main substrates, while rRNA, tRNA, and other conserved non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are excluded from these bodies. BR-bodies stimulate the mRNA decay rate of enriched mRNAs, helping to reshape the cellular mRNA pool. We also observe that BR-body formation promotes complete mRNA decay, avoiding the buildup of toxic endo-cleaved mRNA decay intermediates. The combined selective permeability of BR-bodies for both enzymes and substrates together with the stimulation of the sub-steps of mRNA decay provide an effective organization strategy for bacterial mRNA decay.

Bacterial growth physiology and RNA metabolism

Bacteria are sophisticated systems with high capacity and flexibility to adapt to various environmental conditions. Each prokaryote however possesses a defined metabolic network, which sets its overall metabolic capacity, and therefore the maximal growth rate that can be reached. To achieve optimal growth, bacteria adopt various molecular strategies to optimally adjust gene expression and optimize resource allocation according to the nutrient availability. The resulting physiological changes are often accompanied by changes in the growth rate, and by global regulation of gene expression. The growth-rate-dependent variation of the abundances in the cellular machineries, together with condition-specific regulatory mechanisms, affect RNA metabolism and fate and pose a challenge for rational gene expression reengineering of synthetic circuits. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: RNA and gene control in bacteria, edited by Dr. M. Guillier and F. Repoila.

RNA lifetime control, from stereochemistry to gene expression

Through the activities of various multi-component assemblies, protein-coding transcripts can be chaperoned toward protein synthesis or nudged into a funnel of rapid destruction. The capacity of these machine-like assemblies to tune RNA lifetime underpins the harmony of gene expression in all cells. Some of the molecular machines that mediate transcript turnover also contribute to on-the-fly surveillance of aberrant mRNAs and non-coding RNAs. How these dynamic assemblies distinguish functional RNAs from those that must be degraded is an intriguing puzzle for understanding the regulation of gene expression and dysfunction associated with disease. Recent data illuminate what the machines look like, and how they find, recognise and operate on transcripts to sculpt the dynamic regulatory landscape. This review captures current structural and mechanistic insights into the key enzymes and their effector assemblies that contribute to the fate-determining decision points for RNA in post-transcriptional control of genetic information.

Obstacles to Scanning by RNase E Govern Bacterial mRNA Lifetimes by Hindering Access to Distal Cleavage Sites

The diversity of mRNA lifetimes in bacterial cells is difficult to reconcile with the relaxed cleavage site specificity of RNase E, the endonuclease most important for governing mRNA degradation. This enzyme has generally been thought to locate cleavage sites by searching freely in three dimensions. However, our results now show that its access to such sites in 5'-monophosphorylated RNA is hindered by obstacles-such as bound proteins or ribosomes or coaxial small RNA (sRNA) base pairing-that disrupt the path from the 5' end to those sites and prolong mRNA lifetimes. These findings suggest that RNase E searches for cleavage sites by scanning linearly from the 5'-terminal monophosphate along single-stranded regions of RNA and that its progress is impeded by structural discontinuities encountered along the way. This discovery has major implications for gene regulation in bacteria and suggests a general mechanism by which other prokaryotic and eukaryotic regulatory proteins can be controlled.

Ribosome maturation by the endoribonuclease YbeY stabilizes a type 3 secretion system transcript required for virulence of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a significant human pathogen that colonizes humans and its reservoir host, cattle. Colonization requires the expression of a type 3 secretion (T3S) system that injects a mixture of effector proteins into host cells to promote bacterial attachment and disease progression. The T3S system is tightly regulated by a complex network of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators. Using transposon mutagenesis, here we identified the ybeZYX-Int operon as being required for normal T3S levels. Deletion analyses localized the regulation to the endoribonuclease YbeY, previously linked to 16S rRNA maturation and small RNA (sRNA) function. Loss of ybeY in EHEC had pleiotropic effects on EHEC cells, including reduced motility and growth and cold sensitivity. Using UV cross-linking and RNA-Seq (CRAC) analysis, we identified YbeY-binding sites throughout the transcriptome and discovered specific binding of YbeY to the "neck" and "beak" regions of 16S rRNA but identified no significant association of YbeY with sRNA, suggesting that YbeY modulates T3S by depleting mature ribosomes. In E. coli, translation is strongly linked to mRNA stabilization, and subinhibitory concentrations of the translation-initiation inhibitor kasugamycin provoked rapid degradation of a polycistronic mRNA encoding needle filament and needle tip proteins of the T3S system. We conclude that T3S is particularly sensitive to depletion of initiating ribosomes, explaining the inhibition of T3S in the ΔybeY strain. Accessory virulence transcripts may be preferentially degraded in cells with reduced translational capacity, potentially reflecting prioritization in protein production.

Maestro of regulation: Riboswitches orchestrate gene expression at the levels of translation, transcription and mRNA decay

Riboswitches are RNA regulators that control gene expression by modulating their structure in response to metabolite binding. The study of mechanisms by which riboswitches modulate gene expression is crucial to understand how riboswitches are involved in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Previous reports indicate that riboswitches can control gene expression at the level of translation, transcription or mRNA decay. However, there are very few described examples where riboswitches regulate multiple steps in gene expression. Recent studies of a translation-regulating, TPP-dependent riboswitch have revealed that ligand binding is also involved in the control of mRNA levels. In this model, TPP binding to the riboswitch leads to the inhibition of translation, which in turn allows for Rho-dependent transcription termination. Thus, mRNA levels are indirectly controlled through ribosome occupancy. This is in contrast to other riboswitches that directly control mRNA levels by modulating the access of regulatory sequences involved in either Rho-dependent transcription termination or RNase E cleavage activity. Together, these findings indicate that riboswitches modulate both translation initiation and mRNA levels using multiple strategies that direct the outcome of gene expression.

Initiating ribosomes and a 5'/3'-UTR interaction control ribonuclease action to tightly couple B. subtilis hbs mRNA stability with translation

We previously showed that ribosomes initiating translation of the B. subtilis hbs mRNA at a strong Shine–Dalgarno sequence block the 5′ exoribonuclease RNase J1 from degrading into the coding sequence. Here, we identify new and previously unsuspected features of this mRNA. First, we identify RNase Y as the endoribonuclease that cleaves the highly structured 5′-UTR to give access to RNase J1. Cleavage by RNase Y at this site is modulated by a 14-bp long-range interaction between the 5′- and 3-UTRs that partially overlaps the cleavage site. In addition to this maturation/degradation pathway, we discovered a new and ultimately more important RNase Y cleavage site in the very early coding sequence, masked by the initiating ribosome. Thus, two independent pathways compete with ribosomes to tightly link hbs mRNA stability to translation initiation; in one case the initiating ribosome competes directly with RNase J1 and in the other with RNase Y. This is in contrast to prevailing models in Escherichia coli where ribosome traffic over the ORF is the main source of protection from RNases. Indeed, a second RNase Y cleavage site later in the hbs ORF plays no role in its turnover, confirming that for this mRNA at least, initiation is key.

Small RNA profiling in Chlamydomonas: insights into chloroplast RNA metabolism

In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, regulation of chloroplast gene expression is mainly post-transcriptional. It requires nucleus-encoded trans-acting protein factors for maturation/stabilization (M factors) or translation (T factors) of specific target mRNAs. We used long- and small-RNA sequencing to generate a detailed map of the transcriptome. Clusters of sRNAs marked the 5' end of all mature mRNAs. Their absence in M-factor mutants reflects the protection of transcript 5' end by the cognate factor. Enzymatic removal of 5'-triphosphates allowed identifying those cosRNA that mark a transcription start site. We detected another class of sRNAs derived from low abundance transcripts, antisense to mRNAs. The formation of antisense sRNAs required the presence of the complementary mRNA and was stimulated when translation was inhibited by chloramphenicol or lincomycin. We propose that they derive from degradation of double-stranded RNAs generated by pairing of antisense and sense transcripts, a process normally hindered by the traveling of the ribosomes. In addition, chloramphenicol treatment, by freezing ribosomes on the mRNA, caused the accumulation of 32-34 nt ribosome-protected fragments. Using this 'in vivo ribosome footprinting', we identified the function and molecular target of two candidate trans-acting factors.

Precise quantification of translation inhibition by mRNA structures that overlap with the ribosomal footprint in N-terminal coding sequences

A mRNA's translation rate is controlled by several sequence determinants, including the presence of RNA structures within the N-terminal regions of its coding sequences. However, the physical rules that govern when such mRNA structures will inhibit translation remain unclear. Here, we introduced systematically designed RNA hairpins into the N-terminal coding region of a reporter protein with steadily increasing distances from the start codon, followed by characterization of their mRNA and expression levels in Escherichia coli. We found that the mRNAs' translation rates were repressed, by up to 530-fold, when mRNA structures overlapped with the ribosome's footprint. In contrast, when the mRNA structure was located outside the ribosome's footprint, translation was repressed by <2-fold. By combining our measurements with biophysical modeling, we determined that the ribosomal footprint extends 13 nucleotides into the N-terminal coding region and, when a mRNA structure overlaps or partially overlaps with the ribosomal footprint, the free energy to unfold only the overlapping structure controlled the extent of translation repression. Overall, our results provide precise quantification of the rules governing translation initiation at N-terminal coding regions, improving the predictive design of post-transcriptional regulatory elements that regulate translation rate.

Rho Protein: Roles and Mechanisms

At the end of the multistep transcription process, the elongating RNA polymerase (RNAP) is dislodged from the DNA template either at specific DNA sequences, called the terminators, or by a nascent RNA-dependent helicase, Rho. In Escherichia coli, about half of the transcription events are terminated by the Rho protein. Rho utilizes its RNA-dependent ATPase activities to translocate along the mRNA and eventually dislodges the RNAP via an unknown mechanism. The transcription elongation factor NusG facilitates this termination process by directly interacting with Rho. In this review, we discuss current models describing the mechanism of action of this hexameric transcription terminator, its regulation by different cis and trans factors, and the effects of the termination process on physiological processes in bacterial cells, particularly E. coli and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium.

Translational control and Rho-dependent transcription termination are intimately linked in riboswitch regulation

Riboswitches are regulatory elements that control gene expression by altering RNA structure upon the binding of specific metabolites. Although Bacillus subtilis riboswitches have been shown to control premature transcription termination, less is known about regulatory mechanisms employed by Escherichia coli riboswitches, which are predicted to regulate mostly at the level of translation initiation. Here, we present experimental evidence suggesting that the majority of known E. coli riboswitches control transcription termination by using the Rho transcription factor. In the case of the thiamin pyrophosphate-dependent thiM riboswitch, we find that Rho-dependent transcription termination is triggered as a consequence of translation repression. Using in vitro and in vivo assays, we show that the Rho-mediated regulation relies on RNA target elements located at the beginning of thiM coding region. Gene reporter assays indicate that relocating Rho target elements to a different gene induces transcription termination, demonstrating that such elements are modular domains controlling Rho. Our work provides strong evidence that translationally regulating riboswitches also regulate mRNA levels through an indirect control mechanism ensuring tight control of gene expression.

Mechanistic study of base-pairing small regulatory RNAs in bacteria

In all three kingdoms of life, RNA is not only involved in the expression of genetic information, but also carries out extremely diverse cellular functions. This versatility is essentially due to the fact that RNA molecules can exploit the power of base pairing to allow them to fold into a wide variety of structures through which they can perform diverse roles, but also to selectively target and bind to other nucleic acids. This is true in particular for bacterial small regulatory RNAs that act by imperfect base-pairing with target mRNAs, and thereby control their expression through different mechanisms. Here we outline an overview of in vivo and in vitro approaches that are currently used to gain mechanistic insights into how these sRNAs control gene expression in bacteria.

Competing endogenous RNAs: a target-centric view of small RNA regulation in bacteria

Many bacterial regulatory small RNAs (sRNAs) have several mRNA targets, which places them at the centre of regulatory networks that help bacteria to adapt to environmental changes. However, different mRNA targets of any given sRNA compete with each other for binding to the sRNA; thus, depending on relative abundances and sRNA affinity, competition for regulatory sRNAs can mediate cross-regulation between bacterial mRNAs. This 'target-centric' perspective of sRNA regulation is reminiscent of the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) hypothesis, which posits that competition for a limited pool of microRNAs (miRNAs) in higher eukaryotes mediates cross-regulation of mRNAs. In this Opinion article, we discuss evidence that a similar network of RNA crosstalk operates in bacteria, and that this network also includes crosstalk between sRNAs and competition for RNA-binding proteins.

Mechanistic Insights into Cofactor-Dependent Coupling of RNA Folding and mRNA Transcription/Translation by a Cobalamin Riboswitch

Riboswitches are mRNA elements regulating gene expression in response to direct binding of a metabolite. While these RNAs are increasingly well understood with respect to interactions between receptor domains and their cognate effector molecules, little is known about the specific mechanistic relationship between metabolite binding and gene regulation by the downstream regulatory domain. Using a combination of cell-based, biochemical, and biophysical techniques, we reveal the specific RNA architectural features enabling a cobalamin-dependent hairpin loop docking interaction between receptor and regulatory domains. Furthermore, these data demonstrate that docking kinetics dictate a regulatory response involving the coupling of translation initiation to general mechanisms that control mRNA abundance. These results yield a comprehensive picture of how RNA structure in the riboswitch regulatory domain enables kinetically constrained ligand-dependent regulation of gene expression.

Small RNAs Regulate Primary and Secondary Metabolism in Gram-negative Bacteria

Over the last decade, small (often noncoding) RNA molecules have been discovered as important regulators influencing myriad aspects of bacterial physiology and virulence. In particular, small RNAs (sRNAs) have been implicated in control of both primary and secondary metabolic pathways in many bacterial species. This chapter describes characteristics of the major classes of sRNA regulators, and highlights what is known regarding their mechanisms of action. Specific examples of sRNAs that regulate metabolism in gram-negative bacteria are discussed, with a focus on those that regulate gene expression by base pairing with mRNA targets to control their translation and stability.

Expression of IroN, the salmochelin siderophore receptor, requires mRNA activation by RyhB small RNA homologues

The iroN gene of Salmonella enterica and uropathogenic Escherichia coli encodes the outer membrane receptor of Fe(3+) -bound salmochelin, a siderophore tailored to evade capture by the host's immune system. The iroN gene is under negative control of the Fur repressor and transcribed under iron limiting conditions. We show here that transcriptional de-repression is not sufficient to allow iroN expression, as this also requires activation by either of two partially homologous small RNAs (sRNAs), RyhB1 and RyhB2. The two sRNAs target the same sequence segment approximately in the middle of the 94-nucleotide 5' untranslated region (UTR) of iroN mRNA. Several lines of evidence suggest that base pair interaction stimulates iroN mRNA translation. Activation does not result from the disruption of a secondary structure masking the ribosome binding site; rather it involves sequences at the 5' end of iroN 5' UTR. In vitro 'toeprint' assays revealed that this upstream site binds the 30S ribosomal subunit provided that RyhB1 is paired with the mRNA. Altogether, our data suggest that RyhB1, and to lesser extent RyhB2, activate iroN mRNA translation by promoting entry of the ribosome at an upstream 'standby' site. These findings add yet an additional nuance to the polychromatic landscape of sRNA-mediated regulation.

Genome-wide investigation of mRNA lifetime determinants in Escherichia coli cells cultured at different growth rates

BACKGROUND

Changes to mRNA lifetime adjust mRNA concentration, facilitating the adaptation of growth rate to changes in growth conditions. However, the mechanisms regulating mRNA lifetime are poorly understood at the genome-wide scale and have not been investigated in bacteria growing at different rates.

RESULTS

We used linear covariance models and the best model selected according to the Akaike information criterion to identify and rank intrinsic and extrinsic general transcript parameters correlated with mRNA lifetime, using mRNA half-life datasets for E. coli, obtained at four growth rates. The principal parameter correlated with mRNA stability was mRNA concentration, the mRNAs most concentrated in the cells being the least stable. However, sequence-related features (codon adaptation index (CAI), ORF length, GC content, polycistronic mRNA), gene function and essentiality also affected mRNA lifetime at all growth rates. We also identified sequence motifs within the 5'UTRs potentially related to mRNA stability. Growth rate-dependent effects were confined to particular functional categories (e.g. carbohydrate and nucleotide metabolism). Finally, mRNA stability was less strongly correlated with the amount of protein produced than mRNA concentration and CAI.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides the most complete genome-wide analysis to date of the general factors correlated with mRNA lifetime in E. coli. We have generalized for the entire population of transcripts or excluded determinants previously defined as regulators of stability for some particular mRNAs and identified new, unexpected general indicators. These results will pave the way for discussions of the underlying mechanisms and their interaction with the growth physiology of bacteria.

Tet-Trap, a genetic approach to the identification of bacterial RNA thermometers: application to Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Modulation of mRNA translatability either by trans-acting factors (proteins or sRNAs) or by in cis-acting riboregulators is widespread in bacteria and controls relevant phenotypic traits. Unfortunately, global identification of post-transcriptionally regulated genes is complicated by poor structural and functional conservation of regulatory elements and by the limitations of proteomic approaches in protein quantification. We devised a genetic system for the identification of post-transcriptionally regulated genes and we applied this system to search for Pseudomonas aeruginosa RNA thermometers, a class of regulatory RNA that modulates gene translation in response to temperature changes. As P. aeruginosa is able to thrive in a broad range of environmental conditions, genes differentially expressed at 37 °C versus lower temperatures may be involved in infection and survival in the human host. We prepared a plasmid vector library with translational fusions of P. aeruginosa DNA fragments (PaDNA) inserted upstream of TIP2, a short peptide able to inactivate the Tet repressor (TetR) upon expression. The library was assayed in a streptomycin-resistant merodiploid rpsL(+)/rpsL31 Escherichia coli strain in which the dominant rpsL(+) allele, which confers streptomycin sensitivity, was repressed by TetR. PaDNA fragments conferring thermosensitive streptomycin resistance (i.e., expressing PaDNA-TIP2 fusions at 37°C, but not at 28°C) were sequenced. We identified four new putative thermosensors. Two of them were validated with conventional reporter systems in E. coli and P. aeruginosa. Interestingly, one regulates the expression of ptxS, a gene implicated in P. aeruginosa pathogenesis.

The small RNA SgrS: roles in metabolism and pathogenesis of enteric bacteria

Bacteria adapt to ever-changing habitats through specific responses to internal and external stimuli that result in changes in gene regulation and metabolism. One internal metabolic cue affecting such changes in Escherichia coli and related enteric species is cytoplasmic accumulation of phosphorylated sugars such as glucose-6-phosphate or the non-metabolizable analog α-methylglucoside-6-phosphate. This “glucose-phosphate stress” triggers a dedicated stress response in γ-proteobacteria including several enteric pathogens. The major effector of this stress response is a small RNA (sRNA), SgrS. In E. coli and Salmonella, SgrS regulates numerous mRNA targets via base pairing interactions that result in alterations in mRNA translation and stability. Regulation of target mRNAs allows cells to reduce import of additional sugars and increase sugar efflux. SgrS is an unusual sRNA in that it also encodes a small protein, SgrT, which inhibits activity of the major glucose transporter. The two functions of SgrS, base pairing and production of SgrT, reduce accumulation of phosphorylated sugars and thereby relieve stress and promote growth. Examination of SgrS homologs in many enteric species suggests that SgrS has evolved to regulate distinct targets in different organisms. For example, in Salmonella, SgrS base pairs with sopD mRNA and represses production of the encoded effector protein, suggesting that SgrS may have a specific role in the pathogenesis of some γ-proteobacteria. In this review, we outline molecular mechanisms involved in SgrS regulation of its target mRNAs. We also discuss the response to glucose-phosphate stress in terms of its impact on metabolism, growth physiology, and pathogenesis.

Group II intron-ribosome association protects intron RNA from degradation

The influence of the cellular environment on the structures and properties of catalytic RNAs is not well understood, despite great interest in ribozyme function. Here we report on ribosome association of group II introns, which are ribozymes that are important because of their putative ancestry to spliceosomal introns and retrotransposons, their retromobility via an RNA intermediate, and their application as gene delivery agents. We show that group II intron RNA, in complex with the intron-encoded protein from the native Lactoccocus lactis host, associates strongly with ribosomes in vivo. Ribosomes have little effect on intron ribozyme activities; rather, the association with host ribosomes protects the intron RNA against degradation by RNase E, an enzyme previously shown to be a silencer of retromobility in Escherichia coli. The ribosome interacts strongly with the intron, exerting protective effects in vivo and in vitro, as demonstrated by genetic and biochemical experiments. These results are consistent with the ribosome influencing the integrity of catalytic RNAs in bacteria in the face of degradative nucleases that regulate intron mobility.

Initiation of mRNA decay in bacteria

The instability of messenger RNA is fundamental to the control of gene expression. In bacteria, mRNA degradation generally follows an "all-or-none" pattern. This implies that if control is to be efficient, it must occur at the initiating (and presumably rate-limiting) step of the degradation process. Studies of E. coli and B. subtilis, species separated by 3 billion years of evolution, have revealed the principal and very disparate enzymes involved in this process in the two organisms. The early view that mRNA decay in these two model organisms is radically different has given way to new models that can be resumed by "different enzymes-similar strategies". The recent characterization of key ribonucleases sheds light on an impressive case of convergent evolution that illustrates that the surprisingly similar functions of these totally unrelated enzymes are of general importance to RNA metabolism in bacteria. We now know that the major mRNA decay pathways initiate with an endonucleolytic cleavage in E. coli and B. subtilis and probably in many of the currently known bacteria for which these organisms are considered representative. We will discuss here the different pathways of eubacterial mRNA decay, describe the major players and summarize the events that can precede and/or favor nucleolytic inactivation of a mRNA, notably the role of the 5' end and translation initiation. Finally, we will discuss the role of subcellular compartmentalization of transcription, translation, and the RNA degradation machinery.

A combination of improved differential and global RNA-seq reveals pervasive transcription initiation and events in all stages of the life-cycle of functional RNAs in Propionibacterium acnes, a major contributor to wide-spread human disease

BACKGROUND

Sequencing of the genome of Propionibacterium acnes produced a catalogue of genes many of which enable this organism to colonise skin and survive exposure to the elements. Despite this platform, there was little understanding of the gene regulation that gives rise to an organism that has a major impact on human health and wellbeing and causes infections beyond the skin. To address this situation, we have undertaken a genome-wide study of gene regulation using a combination of improved differential and global RNA-sequencing and an analytical approach that takes into account the inherent noise within the data.

RESULTS

We have produced nucleotide-resolution transcriptome maps that identify and differentiate sites of transcription initiation from sites of stable RNA processing and mRNA cleavage. Moreover, analysis of these maps provides strong evidence for 'pervasive' transcription and shows that contrary to initial indications it is not biased towards the production of antisense RNAs. In addition, the maps reveal an extensive array of riboswitches, leaderless mRNAs and small non-protein-coding RNAs alongside vegetative promoters and post-transcriptional events, which includes unusual tRNA processing. The identification of such features will inform models of complex gene regulation, as illustrated here for ribonucleotide reductases and a potential quorum-sensing, two-component system.

CONCLUSIONS

The approach described here, which is transferable to any bacterial species, has produced a step increase in whole-cell knowledge of gene regulation in P. acnes. Continued expansion of our maps to include transcription associated with different growth conditions and genetic backgrounds will provide a new platform from which to computationally model the gene expression that determines the physiology of P. acnes and its role in human disease.

Licensing and due process in the turnover of bacterial RNA

RNA enables the material interpretation of genetic information through time and in space. The creation, destruction and activity of RNA must be well controlled and tightly synchronized with numerous cellular processes. We discuss here the pathways and mechanism of bacterial RNA turnover, and describe how RNA itself modulates these processes as part of decision-making networks. The central roles of RNA decay and other aspects of RNA metabolism in cellular control are also suggested by their vulnerability to sabotage by phages; nonetheless, RNA can be used in defense against phage infection, and these processes are described here. Salient aspects of RNA turnover are drawn together to suggest how it could affect complex effects such as phenotypic diversity in populations and responses that persist for multiple generations.

The social fabric of the RNA degradosome

Bacterial transcripts each have a characteristic half-life, suggesting that the processes of RNA degradation work in an active and selective manner. Moreover, the processes are well controlled, thereby ensuring that degradation is orderly and coordinated. Throughout much of the bacterial kingdom, RNA degradation processes originate through the actions of assemblies of key RNA enzymes, known as RNA degradosomes. Neither conserved in composition, nor unified by common evolutionary ancestry, RNA degradosomes nonetheless can be found in divergent bacterial lineages, implicating a common requirement for the co-localisation of RNA metabolic activities. We describe how the cooperation of components in the representative degradosome of Escherichia coli may enable controlled access to transcripts, so that they have defined and programmable lifetimes. We also discuss how this cooperation contributes to precursor processing and to the riboregulation of intricate post-transcriptional networks in the control of gene expression. The E. coli degradosome interacts with the cytoplasmic membrane, and we discuss how this interaction may spatially organise the assembly and contribute to subunit cooperation and substrate capture. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: RNA Decay mechanisms.

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The organisation of the bacterial RNA degradosome

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The role in riboregulation and proposal for mechanism

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Discussion of access to substrates

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Discussion of the function of compartmentalisation

Dual-acting riboswitch control of translation initiation and mRNA decay

Riboswitches are mRNA regulatory elements that control gene expression by altering their structure in response to specific metabolite binding. In bacteria, riboswitches consist of an aptamer that performs ligand recognition and an expression platform that regulates either transcription termination or translation initiation. Here, we describe a dual-acting riboswitch from Escherichia coli that, in addition to modulating translation initiation, also is directly involved in the control of initial mRNA decay. Upon lysine binding, the lysC riboswitch adopts a conformation that not only inhibits translation initiation but also exposes RNase E cleavage sites located in the riboswitch expression platform. However, in the absence of lysine, the riboswitch folds into an alternative conformation that simultaneously allows translation initiation and sequesters RNase E cleavage sites. Both regulatory activities can be individually inhibited, indicating that translation initiation and mRNA decay can be modulated independently using the same conformational switch. Because RNase E cleavage sites are located in the riboswitch sequence, this riboswitch provides a unique means for the riboswitch to modulate RNase E cleavage activity directly as a function of lysine. This dual inhibition is in contrast to other riboswitches, such as the thiamin pyrophosphate-sensing thiM riboswitch, which triggers mRNA decay only as a consequence of translation inhibition. The riboswitch control of RNase E cleavage activity is an example of a mechanism by which metabolite sensing is used to regulate gene expression of single genes or even large polycistronic mRNAs as a function of environmental changes.

A role for Rho-dependent polarity in gene regulation by a noncoding small RNA

Gene regulation by bacterial trans-encoded small RNAs (sRNAs) is generally regarded as a post-transcriptional process bearing exclusively on the translation and/or the stability of target messenger RNA (mRNA). The work presented here revealed the existence of a transcriptional component in the regulation of a bicistronic operon-the chiPQ locus-by the ChiX sRNA in Salmonella. By studying the mechanism by which ChiX, upon pairing near the 5' end of the transcript, represses the distal gene in the operon, we discovered that the action of the sRNA induces Rho-dependent transcription termination within the chiP cistron. Apparently, by inhibiting chiP mRNA translation cotranscriptionally, ChiX uncouples translation from transcription, causing the nascent mRNA to become susceptible to Rho action. A Rho utilization (rut) site was identified in vivo through mutational analysis, and the termination pattern was characterized in vitro with a purified system. Remarkably, Rho activity at this site was found to be completely dependent on the function of the NusG protein both in vivo and in vitro. The recognition that trans-encoded sRNA act cotranscriptionally unveils a hitherto neglected aspect of sRNA function in bacteria.

A minimal bacterial RNase J-based degradosome is associated with translating ribosomes

Protein complexes directing messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation are present in all kingdoms of life. In Escherichia coli, mRNA degradation is performed by an RNA degradosome organized by the major ribonuclease RNase E. In bacteria lacking RNase E, the existence of a functional RNA degradosome is still an open question. Here, we report that in the bacterial pathogen Helicobacter pylori, RNA degradation is directed by a minimal RNA degradosome consisting of Hp-RNase J and the only DExD-box RNA helicase of H. pylori, RhpA. We show that the protein complex promotes faster degradation of double-stranded RNA in vitro in comparison with Hp-RNase J alone. The ATPase activity of RhpA is stimulated in the presence of Hp-RNase J, demonstrating that the catalytic capacity of both partners is enhanced upon interaction. Remarkably, both proteins are associated with translating ribosomes and not with individual 30S and 50S subunits. Moreover, Hp-RNase J is not recruited to ribosomes to perform rRNA maturation. Together, our findings imply that in H. pylori, the mRNA-degrading machinery is associated with the translation apparatus, a situation till now thought to be restricted to eukaryotes and archaea.

Influence of translation on RppH-dependent mRNA degradation in Escherichia coli

In Escherichia coli, the endonuclease RNase E can access internal cleavage sites in mRNA either directly or by a 5' end-dependent mechanism in which cleavage is facilitated by prior RppH-catalysed conversion of the 5'-terminal triphosphate to a monophosphate, to which RNase E can bind. The characteristics of transcripts that determine which of these two pathways is primarily responsible for their decay are poorly understood. Here we report the influence of ribosome binding and translocation on each pathway, using yeiP and trxB as model transcripts. Ribosome binding to the translation initiation site impedes degradation by both mechanisms. However, because the effect on the rate of 5' end-independent decay is greater, poor ribosome binding favours degradation by that pathway. Arresting translation elongation with chloramphenicol quickly inhibits RNase E cleavage downstream of the initiation codon but has little or no immediate effect on cleavage upstream of the ribosome binding site. RNase E binding to a monophosphorylated 5' end appears to increase the likelihood of cleavage at sites within the 5' untranslated region. These findings indicate that ribosome binding and translocation can have a major impact on 5' end-dependent mRNA degradation in E. coli and suggest a possible sequence of events that follow pyrophosphate removal.

Bacterial translational regulations: high diversity between all mRNAs and major role in gene expression

BACKGROUND

In bacteria, the weak correlations at the genome scale between mRNA and protein levels suggest that not all mRNAs are translated with the same efficiency. To experimentally explore mRNA translational level regulation at the systemic level, the detailed translational status (translatome) of all mRNAs was measured in the model bacterium Lactococcus lactis in exponential phase growth.

RESULTS

Results demonstrated that only part of the entire population of each mRNA species was engaged in translation. For transcripts involved in translation, the polysome size reached a maximum of 18 ribosomes. The fraction of mRNA engaged in translation (ribosome occupancy) and ribosome density were not constant for all genes. This high degree of variability was analyzed by bioinformatics and statistical modeling in order to identify general rules of translational regulation. For most of the genes, the ribosome density was lower than the maximum value revealing major control of translation by initiation. Gene function was a major translational regulatory determinant. Both ribosome occupancy and ribosome density were particularly high for transcriptional regulators, demonstrating the positive role of translational regulation in the coordination of transcriptional networks. mRNA stability was a negative regulatory factor of ribosome occupancy and ribosome density, suggesting antagonistic regulation of translation and mRNA stability. Furthermore, ribosome occupancy was identified as a key component of intracellular protein levels underlining the importance of translational regulation.

CONCLUSIONS

We have determined, for the first time in a bacterium, the detailed translational status for all mRNAs present in the cell. We have demonstrated experimentally the high diversity of translational states allowing individual gene differentiation and the importance of translation-level regulation in the complex process linking gene expression to protein synthesis.

A 5'-terminal phosphate is required for stable ternary complex formation and translation of leaderless mRNA in Escherichia coli

The bacteriophage λ's cI mRNA was utilized to examine the importance of the 5'-terminal phosphate on expression of leadered and leaderless mRNA in Escherichia coli. A hammerhead ribozyme was used to produce leadered and leaderless mRNAs, in vivo and in vitro, that contain a 5'-hydroxyl. Although these mRNAs may not occur naturally in the bacterial cell, they allow for the study of the importance of the 5'-phosphorylation state in ribosome binding and translation of leadered and leaderless mRNAs. Analyses with mRNAs containing either a 5'-phosphate or a 5'-hydroxyl indicate that leaderless cI mRNA requires a 5'-phosphate for stable ribosome binding in vitro as well as expression in vivo. Ribosome-binding assays show that 30S subunits and 70S ribosomes do not bind as strongly to 5'-hydroxyl as they do to 5'-phosphate containing leaderless mRNA and the tRNA-dependent ternary complex is less stable. Additionally, filter-binding assays revealed that the 70S ternary complex formed with a leaderless mRNA containing a 5'-hydroxyl has a dissociation rate (k(off)) that is 4.5-fold higher compared with the complex formed with a 5'-phosphate leaderless mRNA. Fusion to a lacZ reporter gene revealed that leaderless cI mRNA expression with a 5'-hydroxyl was >100-fold lower than the equivalent mRNA with a 5'-phosphate. These data indicate that a 5'-phosphate is an important feature of leaderless mRNA for stable ribosome binding and expression.

mRNA degradation and maturation in prokaryotes: the global players

The degradation of messenger RNA is of universal importance for controlling gene expression. It directly affects protein synthesis by modulating the amount of mRNA available for translation. Regulation of mRNA decay provides an efficient means to produce just the proteins needed and to rapidly alter patterns of protein synthesis. In bacteria, the half-lives of individual mRNAs can differ by as much as two orders of magnitude, ranging from seconds to an hour. Most of what we know today about the diverse mechanisms of mRNA decay and maturation in prokaryotes comes from studies of the two model organisms Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Their evolutionary distance provided a large picture of potential pathways and enzymes involved in mRNA turnover. Among them are three ribonucleases, two of which have been discovered only recently, which have a truly general role in the initiating events of mRNA degradation: RNase E, RNase J and RNase Y. Their enzymatic characteristics probably determine the strategies of mRNA metabolism in the organism in which they are present. These ribonucleases are coded, alone or in various combinations, in all prokaryotic genomes, thus reflecting how mRNA turnover has been adapted to different ecological niches throughout evolution.

A tale of two mRNA degradation pathways mediated by RNase E

RNase E is an essential endoribonuclease with a preference for RNA substrates with 5'-monophosphate ends. Primary transcripts, which have 5' triphosphate ends, are thus protected from RNase E. Their conversion to 5'-monophosphate transcripts by RppH is a prerequisite for RNase E-mediated processing and degradation. 5'-monophosphate recognition involves binding to a subdomain in the catalytic core of RNase E known as the 5' sensor. There are, however, transcripts that can be attacked directly by RNase E in a 5'-end-independent pathway. Direct entry involves elements outside of the catalytic domain that are located in the carboxyl terminal half (CTH) of RNase E. Strains harbouring rne alleles that express variants of RNase E in which 5' sensing (rneR169Q) or direct entry (rneΔCTH) are inactivated, are viable. However, the rneR169Q/rneΔCTH and ΔrppH/rneΔCTH combinations are synthetic lethal suggesting that the essential function(s) of RNase E requires at least one of these pathways to be active. A striking result is the demonstration that mutations affecting Rho-dependent transcription termination can overcome synthetic lethality by a pathway that requires RNase H. It is hypothesized that R-loop formation and RNase H cleavage substitute for RNase E-dependent RNA processing and mRNA degradation.

Two pathways for RNase E action in Escherichia coli in vivo and bypass of its essentiality in mutants defective for Rho-dependent transcription termination

The endonuclease RNase E of Escherichia coli is essential for viability, but deletion of its C-terminal half (CTH) is not lethal. RNase E preferentially acts on 5'-monophosphorylated RNA whose generation from primary transcripts is catalysed by RppH, but ΔRppH strains are viable. Here we show that the RNase E-ΔCTH ΔRppH combination is lethal, and that the lethality is suppressed by rho or nusG mutations impairing Rho-dependent transcription termination. Lethality was correlated with defects in bulk mRNA decay and tRNA processing, which were reversed by the rho suppressor. Lethality suppression was dependent on RNase H1 or the helicase UvsW of phage T4, both of which act to remove RNA-DNA hybrids (R-loops). The rho and nusG mutations also rescued inviability of a double alteration R169Q (that abolishes 5'-sensing) with ΔCTH in RNase E, as also that of conditional RNase E deficiency. We suggest that the ΔCTH alteration leads to loss of a second 5'-end-independent pathway of RNase E action. We further propose that an increased abundance of R-loops in the rho and nusG mutants, although ordinarily inimical to growth, contributes to rescue the lethality associated with loss of the two RNase E cleavage pathways by providing an alternative means of RNA degradation.

S1 ribosomal protein and the interplay between translation and mRNA decay

S1 is an ‘atypical’ ribosomal protein weakly associated with the 30S subunit that has been implicated in translation, transcription and control of RNA stability. S1 is thought to participate in translation initiation complex formation by assisting 30S positioning in the translation initiation region, but little is known about its role in other RNA transactions. In this work, we have analysed in vivo the effects of different intracellular S1 concentrations, from depletion to overexpression, on translation, decay and intracellular distribution of leadered and leaderless messenger RNAs (mRNAs). We show that the cspE mRNA, like the rpsO transcript, may be cleaved by RNase E at multiple sites, whereas the leaderless cspE transcript may also be degraded via an alternative pathway by an unknown endonuclease. Upon S1 overexpression, RNase E-dependent decay of both cspE and rpsO mRNAs is suppressed and these transcripts are stabilized, whereas cleavage of leaderless cspE mRNA by the unidentified endonuclease is not affected. Overall, our data suggest that ribosome-unbound S1 may inhibit translation and that part of the Escherichia coli ribosomes may actually lack S1.

Composition and conservation of the mRNA-degrading machinery in bacteria

RNA synthesis and decay counteract each other and therefore inversely regulate gene expression in pro- and eukaryotic cells by controlling the steady-state level of individual transcripts. Genetic and biochemical data together with recent in depth annotation of bacterial genomes indicate that many components of the bacterial RNA decay machinery are evolutionarily conserved and that their functional analogues exist in organisms belonging to all kingdoms of life. Here we briefly review biological functions of essential enzymes, their evolutionary conservation and multienzyme complexes that are involved in mRNA decay in Escherichia coli and discuss their conservation in evolutionarily distant bacteria.

Termination troubles in Escherichia coli K12

In this issue of Molecular Microbiology, Schaub and Hayes report that, compared with other enterobacteria, Escherichia coli K12 carries two mutations - one in the prfB gene encoding the release factor RF2, and the other in the rpsG gene encoding r-protein S7 - that together concur in compromising translation termination at the essential rpsG gene. As a consequence, the growth of E. coli K12 is very sensitive to a further mutation (rluD(-) ) that depresses RF2 activity, whereas the growth of its close relative, E. coli B, is not. We tentatively discuss how the K12-specific mutations in RF2 and S7 might have occurred and why inefficient translation termination at rpsG inhibits growth. The work of Schaub and Hayes illustrates the fact that, due probably to its long history in the laboratory, E. coli K12 has accumulated mutations that sometimes limit its value as a model for studying basic steps in prokaryotic gene expression.

Importance of the tmRNA system for cell survival when transcription is blocked by DNA-protein cross-links

Anticancer drug 5-azacytidine (aza-C) induces DNA-protein cross-links (DPCs) between cytosine methyltransferase and DNA as the drug inhibits methylation. We found that mutants defective in the tmRNA translational quality control system are hypersensitive to aza-C. Hypersensitivity requires expression of active methyltransferase, indicating the importance of DPC formation. Furthermore, the tmRNA pathway is activated upon aza-C treatment in cells expressing methyltransferase, resulting in increased levels of SsrA tagged proteins. These results argue that the tmRNA pathway clears stalled ribosome-mRNA complexes generated after transcriptional blockage by aza-C-induced DPCs. In support, an ssrA mutant is also hypersensitive to streptolydigin, which blocks RNA polymerase elongation by a different mechanism. The tmRNA pathway is thought to act only on ribosomes containing a 3' RNA end near the A site, and the known pathway for releasing RNA 3' ends from a blocked polymerase involves Mfd helicase. However, an mfd knockout mutant is not hypersensitive to either aza-C-induced DPC formation or streptolydigin, indicating that Mfd is not involved. Transcription termination factor Rho is also likely not involved, because the Rho-specific inhibitor bicyclomycin failed to show synergism with either aza-C or streptolydigin. Based on these findings, we discuss models for how E. coli processes transcription/translation complexes blocked at DPCs.

Rapid cleavage of RNA by RNase E in the absence of 5' monophosphate stimulation

The best characterized pathway for the initiation of mRNA degradation in Escherichia coli involves the removal of the 5'-terminal pyrophosphate to generate a monophosphate group that stimulates endonucleolytic cleavage by RNase E. We show here however, using well-characterized oligonucleotide substrates and mRNA transcripts, that RNase E can cleave certain RNAs rapidly without requiring a 5'-monophosphorylated end. Moreover, the minimum substrate requirement for this mode of cleavage, which can be categorized as 'direct' or 'internal' entry, appears to be multiple single-stranded segments in a conformational context that allows their simultaneous interaction with RNase E. While previous work has alluded to the existence of a 5' end-independent mechanism of mRNA degradation, the relative simplicity of the requirements identified here for direct entry suggests that it could represent a major means by which mRNA degradation is initiated in E. coli and other organisms that contain homologues of RNase E. Our results have implications for the interplay of translation and mRNA degradation and models of gene regulation by small non-coding RNAs.

An overview of RNAs with regulatory functions in gram-positive bacteria

During the last decade, RNA molecules with regulatory functions on gene expression have benefited from a renewed interest. In bacteria, recent high throughput computational and experimental approaches have led to the discovery that 10-20% of all genes code for RNAs with critical regulatory roles in metabolic, physiological and pathogenic processes. The trans-acting RNAs comprise the noncoding RNAs, RNAs with a short open reading frame and antisense RNAs. Many of these RNAs act through binding to their target mRNAs while others modulate protein activity or target DNA. The cis-acting RNAs include regulatory regions of mRNAs that can respond to various signals. These RNAs often provide the missing link between sensing changing conditions in the environment and fine-tuning the subsequent biological responses. Information on their various functions and modes of action has been well documented for gram-negative bacteria. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of regulatory RNAs in gram-positive bacteria.

Specific and pleiotropic patterns of mRNA regulation by ArcZ, a conserved, Hfq-dependent small RNA

The small RNA, ArcZ (previously RyhA/SraH), was discovered in several genome-wide screens in Escherichia coli and Salmonella. Its high degree of genomic conservation, its frequent recovery by shotgun sequencing, and its association with the RNA chaperone, Hfq, identified ArcZ as an abundant enterobacterial 'core' small RNA, yet its function remained unknown. Here, we report that ArcZ acts as a post-transcriptional regulator in Salmonella, repressing the mRNAs of the widely distributed sdaCB (serine uptake) and tpx (oxidative stress) genes, and of STM3216, a horizontally acquired methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein (MCP). Both sdaCB and STM3216 are regulated by sequestration of the ribosome binding site. In contrast, the tpx mRNA is targeted in the coding sequence (CDS), arguing that CDS targeting is more common than appreciated. Transcriptomic analysis of an arcZ deletion strain further argued for the existence of a distinct set of Salmonella loci specifically regulated by ArcZ. In contrast, increased expression of the sRNA altered the steady-state levels of > 16% (> 750) of all Salmonella mRNAs, and rendered the bacteria non-motile. Deep sequencing detected a dramatically changed profile of Hfq-bound sRNAs and mRNAs, suggesting that the unprecedented pleiotropic effects by a single sRNA might in part be caused by altered post-transcriptional regulation.