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Barrault M, Leclair E, Kumeko EK, Jacquet E, Bouloc P. Staphylococcal sRNA IsrR downregulates methylthiotransferase MiaB under iron-deficient conditions. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0388823. [PMID: 39162503 PMCID: PMC11448259 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03888-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a major contributor to bacterial-associated mortality, owing to its exceptional adaptability across diverse environments. Iron is vital to most organisms but can be toxic in excess. To manage its intracellular iron, S. aureus, like many pathogens, employs intricate systems. We have recently identified IsrR as a key regulatory RNA induced during iron starvation. Its role is to reduce the synthesis of non-essential iron-containing proteins under iron-depleted conditions. In this study, we unveil IsrR's regulatory action on MiaB, an enzyme responsible for methylthio group addition to specific sites on transfer RNAs (tRNAs). We use predictive tools and reporter fusion assays to demonstrate IsrR's binding to the Shine-Dalgarno sequence of miaB RNA, thereby impeding its translation. The effectiveness of IsrR hinges on the integrity of a specific C-rich region. As MiaB is non-essential and has iron-sulfur clusters, IsrR induction spares iron by downregulating miaB. This may improve S. aureus fitness and aid in navigating the host's nutritional immune defenses.IMPORTANCEIn many biotopes, including those found within an infected host, bacteria confront the challenge of iron deficiency. They employ various strategies to adapt to this scarcity of nutrients, one of which involves regulating iron-containing proteins through the action of small regulatory RNAs. Our study shows how IsrR, a small RNA from S. aureus, prevents the production of MiaB, a tRNA-modifying enzyme containing iron-sulfur clusters. With this illustration, we propose a new substrate for an iron-sparing small RNA, which, when downregulated, should reduce the need for iron and save it to essential functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Barrault
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Elise Leclair
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Etornam Kofi Kumeko
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Eric Jacquet
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, UPR2301, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Philippe Bouloc
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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2
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Barrault M, Chabelskaya S, Coronel-Tellez R, Toffano-Nioche C, Jacquet E, Bouloc P. Staphylococcal aconitase expression during iron deficiency is controlled by an sRNA-driven feedforward loop and moonlighting activity. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:8241-8253. [PMID: 38869061 PMCID: PMC11317140 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria employ complex systems to cope with metal ion shortage conditions and propagate in the host. IsrR is a regulatory RNA (sRNA) whose activity is decisive for optimum Staphylococcus aureus fitness upon iron starvation and for full virulence. IsrR down-regulates several genes encoding iron-containing enzymes to spare iron for essential processes. Here, we report that IsrR regulates the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle by controlling aconitase (CitB), an iron-sulfur cluster-containing enzyme, and its transcriptional regulator, CcpE. This IsrR-dependent dual-regulatory mechanism provides an RNA-driven feedforward loop, underscoring the tight control required to prevent aconitase expression. Beyond its canonical enzymatic role, aconitase becomes an RNA-binding protein with regulatory activity in iron-deprived conditions, a feature that is conserved in S. aureus. Aconitase not only negatively regulates its own expression, but also impacts the enzymes involved in both its substrate supply and product utilization. This moonlighting activity concurrently upregulates pyruvate carboxylase expression, allowing it to compensate for the TCA cycle deficiency associated with iron scarcity. These results highlight the cascade of complex posttranscriptional regulations controlling S. aureus central metabolism in response to iron deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Barrault
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Svetlana Chabelskaya
- Université de Rennes 1, BRM (Bacterial regulatory RNAs and Medicine) UMR_S 1230, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Rodrigo H Coronel-Tellez
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Claire Toffano-Nioche
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Eric Jacquet
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS UPR2301, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Philippe Bouloc
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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3
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Ganske A, Busch LM, Hentschker C, Reder A, Michalik S, Surmann K, Völker U, Mäder U. Exploring the targetome of IsrR, an iron-regulated sRNA controlling the synthesis of iron-containing proteins in Staphylococcus aureus. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1439352. [PMID: 39035440 PMCID: PMC11257911 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1439352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a common colonizer of the skin and nares of healthy individuals, but also a major cause of severe human infections. During interaction with the host, pathogenic bacteria must adapt to a variety of adverse conditions including nutrient deprivation. In particular, they encounter severe iron limitation in the mammalian host through iron sequestration by haptoglobin and iron-binding proteins, a phenomenon called "nutritional immunity." In most bacteria, including S. aureus, the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) is the key regulator of iron homeostasis, which primarily acts as a transcriptional repressor of genes encoding iron acquisition systems. Moreover, Fur can control the expression of trans-acting small regulatory RNAs that play an important role in the cellular iron-sparing response involving major changes in cellular metabolism under iron-limiting conditions. In S. aureus, the sRNA IsrR is controlled by Fur, and most of its predicted targets are iron-containing proteins and other proteins related to iron metabolism and iron-dependent pathways. To characterize the IsrR targetome on a genome-wide scale, we combined proteomics-based identification of potential IsrR targets using S. aureus strains either lacking or constitutively expressing IsrR with an in silico target prediction approach, thereby suggesting 21 IsrR targets, of which 19 were negatively affected by IsrR based on the observed protein patterns. These included several Fe-S cluster- and heme-containing proteins, such as TCA cycle enzymes and catalase encoded by katA. IsrR affects multiple metabolic pathways connected to the TCA cycle as well as the oxidative stress response of S. aureus and links the iron limitation response to metabolic remodeling. In contrast to the majority of target mRNAs, the IsrR-katA mRNA interaction is predicted upstream of the ribosome binding site, and further experiments including mRNA half-life measurements demonstrated that IsrR, in addition to inhibiting translation initiation, can downregulate target protein levels by affecting mRNA stability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ulrike Mäder
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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4
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Deforet F, Carrière R, Dufour PL'A, Prat R, Desbiolles C, Cottin N, Reuzeau A, Dauwalder O, Dupieux-Chabert C, Tristan A, Cecchini T, Lemoine J, Vandenesch F. Proteomic assay for rapid characterisation of Staphylococcus aureus antimicrobial resistance mechanisms directly from blood cultures. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 43:1329-1342. [PMID: 38750334 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-024-04811-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common pathogens causing bloodstream infection. A rapid characterisation of resistance to methicillin and, occasionally, to aminoglycosides for particular indications, is therefore crucial to quickly adapt the treatment and improve the clinical outcomes of septic patients. Among analytical technologies, targeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has emerged as a promising tool to detect resistance mechanisms in clinical samples. METHODS A rapid proteomic method was developed to detect and quantify the most clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance effectors in S. aureus in the context of sepsis: PBP2a, PBP2c, APH(3')-III, ANT(4')-I, and AAC(6')-APH(2''), directly from positive blood cultures and in less than 70 min including a 30-min cefoxitin-induction step. The method was tested on spiked blood culture bottles inoculated with 124 S.aureus, accounting for the known genomic diversity of SCCmec types and the genetic background of the strains. RESULTS This method provided 99% agreement for PBP2a (n = 98/99 strains) detection. Agreement was 100% for PBP2c (n = 5/5), APH(3')-III (n = 16/16), and ANT(4')-I (n = 20/20), and 94% for AAC(6')-APH(2'') (n = 16/17). Across the entire strain collection, 100% negative agreement was reported for each of the 5 resistance proteins. Additionally, relative quantification of ANT(4')-I expression allowed to discriminate kanamycin-susceptible and -resistant strains, in all strains harbouring the ant(4')-Ia gene. CONCLUSION The LC-MS/MS method presented herein demonstrates its ability to provide a reliable determination of S. aureus resistance mechanisms, directly from positive blood cultures and in a short turnaround time, as required in clinical laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis Deforet
- Institut des Sciences Analytiques, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 5280, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Romain Carrière
- Institut des Sciences Analytiques, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 5280, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Pierre L 'Aour Dufour
- Institut des Sciences Analytiques, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 5280, Villeurbanne, France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Institut des Agents Infectieux, Lyon, France
| | - Roxane Prat
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Institut des Agents Infectieux, Lyon, France
| | - Chloé Desbiolles
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Institut des Agents Infectieux, Lyon, France
| | - Noémie Cottin
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Institut des Agents Infectieux, Lyon, France
| | - Alicia Reuzeau
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Institut des Agents Infectieux, Lyon, France
| | - Olivier Dauwalder
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Institut des Agents Infectieux, Lyon, France
| | - Céline Dupieux-Chabert
- Centre National de Référence des Staphylocoques, Institut des agents infectieux, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Anne Tristan
- Centre National de Référence des Staphylocoques, Institut des agents infectieux, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure (ENS) de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Tiphaine Cecchini
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Institut des Agents Infectieux, Lyon, France
| | - Jérôme Lemoine
- Institut des Sciences Analytiques, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 5280, Villeurbanne, France
| | - François Vandenesch
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Institut des Agents Infectieux, Lyon, France.
- Centre National de Référence des Staphylocoques, Institut des agents infectieux, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France.
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure (ENS) de Lyon, Lyon, France.
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Garg R, Manhas I, Chaturvedi D. Unveiling the orchestration: mycobacterial small RNAs as key mediators in host-pathogen interactions. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1399280. [PMID: 38903780 PMCID: PMC11188477 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1399280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Small RNA (sRNA) molecules, a class of non-coding RNAs, have emerged as pivotal players in the regulation of gene expression and cellular processes. Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other pathogenic mycobacteria produce diverse small RNA species that modulate bacterial physiology and pathogenesis. Recent advances in RNA sequencing have enabled identification of novel small RNAs and characterization of their regulatory functions. This review discusses the multifaceted roles of bacterial small RNAs, covering their biogenesis, classification, and functional diversity. Small RNAs (sRNAs) play pivotal roles in orchestrating diverse cellular processes, ranging from gene silencing to epigenetic modifications, across a broad spectrum of organisms. While traditionally associated with eukaryotic systems, recent research has unveiled their presence and significance within bacterial domains as well. Unlike their eukaryotic counterparts, which primarily function within the context of RNA interference (RNAi) pathways, bacterial sRNAs predominantly act through base-pairing interactions with target mRNAs, leading to post-transcriptional regulation. This fundamental distinction underscores the necessity of elucidating the unique roles and regulatory mechanisms of bacterial sRNAs in bacterial adaptation and survival. By doing these myriad functions, they regulate bacterial growth, metabolism, virulence, and drug resistance. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis, apart from having various roles in the bacillus itself, small RNA molecules have emerged as key regulators of gene expression and mediators of host-pathogen interactions. Understanding sRNA regulatory networks in mycobacteria can drive our understanding of significant role they play in regulating virulence and adaptation to the host environment. Detailed functional characterization of Mtb sRNAs at the host-pathogen interface is required to fully elucidate the complex sRNA-mediated gene regulatory networks deployed by Mtb, to manipulate the host. A deeper understanding of this aspect could pave the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajni Garg
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Amity School of Health Sciences, Amity University, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Ishali Manhas
- Department of Biotechnology, Amity School of Biological Sciences, Amity University, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Diksha Chaturvedi
- Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
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6
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Qin B, Peng Q, Dong H, Lei L, Wu S. Non-coding RNAs in diabetic foot ulcer- a focus on infected wounds. Diabetes Metab Res Rev 2024; 40:e3740. [PMID: 37839046 DOI: 10.1002/dmrr.3740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is associated with a wide range of neuropathies, vasculopathies, and immunopathies, resulting in many complications. More than 30% of diabetic patients risk developing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), play essential roles in various biological functions in the hyperglycaemic environment that determines the development of DFU. Ulceration results in tissue breakdown and skin barrier scavenging, thereby facilitating bacterial infection and biofilm formation. Many bacteria contribute to diabetic foot infection (DFI), including Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) et al. A heterogeneous group of "ncRNAs," termed small RNAs (sRNAs), powerfully regulates biofilm formation and DFI healing. Multidisciplinary foot care interventions have been identified for nonhealing ulcers. With an appreciation of the link between disease processes and ncRNAs, a novel therapeutic model of bioactive materials loaded with ncRNAs has been developed to prevent and manage diabetic foot complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boquan Qin
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Orthopedic Research Institute, Laboratory of Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qi Peng
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Orthopedic Research Institute, Laboratory of Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongxian Dong
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Orthopedic Research Institute, Laboratory of Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shizhou Wu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Orthopedic Research Institute, Laboratory of Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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7
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Kohl MP, Chane-Woon-Ming B, Bahena-Ceron R, Jaramillo-Ponce J, Antoine L, Herrgott L, Romby P, Marzi S. Ribosome Profiling Methods Adapted to the Study of RNA-Dependent Translation Regulation in Staphylococcus aureus. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2741:73-100. [PMID: 38217649 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3565-0_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Noncoding RNAs, including regulatory RNAs (sRNAs), are instrumental in regulating gene expression in pathogenic bacteria, allowing them to adapt to various stresses encountered in their host environments. Staphylococcus aureus is a well-studied model for RNA-mediated regulation of virulence and pathogenicity, with sRNAs playing significant roles in shaping S. aureus interactions with human and animal hosts. By modulating the translation and/or stability of target mRNAs, sRNAs regulate the synthesis of virulence factors and regulatory proteins required for pathogenesis. Moreover, perturbation of the levels of RNA modifications in two other classes of noncoding RNAs, rRNAs, and tRNAs, has been proposed to contribute to stress adaptation. However, the study of how these various factors affect translation regulation has often been restricted to specific genes, using in vivo reporters and/or in vitro translation systems. Genome-wide sequencing approaches offer novel perspectives for studying RNA-dependent regulation. In particular, ribosome profiling methods provide a powerful resource for characterizing the overall landscape of translational regulation, contributing to a better understanding of S. aureus physiopathology. Here, we describe protocols that we have adapted to perform ribosome profiling in S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian P Kohl
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS 9002, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Roberto Bahena-Ceron
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS 9002, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jose Jaramillo-Ponce
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS 9002, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Laura Antoine
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS 9002, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Lucas Herrgott
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS 9002, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pascale Romby
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS 9002, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Stefano Marzi
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS 9002, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
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Pivard M, Caldelari I, Brun V, Croisier D, Jaquinod M, Anzala N, Gilquin B, Teixeira C, Benito Y, Couzon F, Romby P, Moreau K, Vandenesch F. Complex Regulation of Gamma-Hemolysin Expression Impacts Staphylococcus aureus Virulence. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0107323. [PMID: 37347186 PMCID: PMC10434192 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01073-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus gamma-hemolysin CB (HlgCB) is a core-genome-encoded pore-forming toxin that targets the C5a receptor, similar to the phage-encoded Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL). Absolute quantification by mass spectrometry of HlgCB in 39 community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) isolates showed considerable variations in the HlgC and HlgB yields between isolates. Moreover, although HlgC and HlgB are encoded on a single operon, their levels were dissociated in 10% of the clinical strains studied. To decipher the molecular basis for the variation in hlgCB expression and protein production among strains, different regulation levels were analyzed in representative clinical isolates and reference strains. Both the HlgCB level and the HlgC/HlgB ratio were found to depend on hlgC promoter activity and mRNA processing and translation. Strikingly, only one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of hlgCB mRNA strongly impaired hlgC translation in the USA300 strain, leading to a strong decrease in the level of HlgC but not in HlgB. Finally, we found that high levels of HlgCB synthesis led to mortality in a rabbit model of pneumonia, correlated with the implication of the role of HlgCB in severe S. aureus CAP. Taken together, this work illustrates the complexity of virulence factor expression in clinical strains and demonstrates a butterfly effect where subtle genomic variations have a major impact on phenotype and virulence. IMPORTANCE S. aureus virulence in pneumonia results in its ability to produce several virulence factors, including the leucocidin PVL. Here, we demonstrate that HlgCB, another leucocidin, which targets the same receptors as PVL, highly contributes to S. aureus virulence in pvl-negative strains. In addition, considerable variations in HlgCB quantities are observed among clinical isolates from patients with CAP. Biomolecular analyses have revealed that a few SNPs in the promoter sequences and only one SNP in the 5' UTR of hlgCB mRNA induce the differential expression of hlgCB, drastically impacting hlgC mRNA translation. This work illustrates the subtlety of regulatory mechanisms in bacteria, especially the sometimes major effects on phenotypes of single nucleotide variation in noncoding regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariane Pivard
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, Inserm U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Isabelle Caldelari
- Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, Strasbourg, France
| | - Virginie Brun
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, CEA, UMR BioSanté U1292, CNRS, CEA, Grenoble, France
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, LETI, Clinatec, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Michel Jaquinod
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, CEA, UMR BioSanté U1292, CNRS, CEA, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Benoît Gilquin
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, CEA, UMR BioSanté U1292, CNRS, CEA, Grenoble, France
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, LETI, Clinatec, Grenoble, France
| | - Chloé Teixeira
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, Inserm U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Yvonne Benito
- Institut des Agents Infectieux, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
- Centre National de Référence des Staphylocoques, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Florence Couzon
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, Inserm U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Pascale Romby
- Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, Strasbourg, France
| | - Karen Moreau
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, Inserm U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - François Vandenesch
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, Inserm U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Lyon, France
- Institut des Agents Infectieux, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
- Centre National de Référence des Staphylocoques, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
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9
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Zhang Y, Wu Q, Forsythe S, Liu C, Chen N, Li Y, Zhang J, Wang J, Ding Y. The cascade regulation of small RNA and quorum sensing system: Focusing on biofilm formation of foodborne pathogens in food industry. FOOD BIOSCI 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbio.2023.102472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
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10
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Majumder R, Ghosh S, Das A, Singh MK, Samanta S, Saha A, Saha RP. Prokaryotic ncRNAs: Master regulators of gene expression. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PHARMACOLOGY AND DRUG DISCOVERY 2022; 3:100136. [PMID: 36568271 PMCID: PMC9780080 DOI: 10.1016/j.crphar.2022.100136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
ncRNA plays a very pivotal role in various biological activities ranging from gene regulation to controlling important developmental networks. It is imperative to note that this small molecule is not only present in all three domains of cellular life, but is an important modulator of gene regulation too in all these domains. In this review, we discussed various aspects of ncRNA biology, especially their role in bacteria. The last two decades of scientific research have proved that this molecule plays an important role in the modulation of various regulatory pathways in bacteria including the adaptive immune system and gene regulation. It is also very surprising to note that this small molecule is also employed in various processes related to the pathogenicity of virulent microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajib Majumder
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science & Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, 700126, India
| | - Sanmitra Ghosh
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Science & Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, 700126, India
| | - Arpita Das
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science & Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, 700126, India
| | - Manoj Kumar Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science & Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, 700126, India
| | - Saikat Samanta
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science & Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, 700126, India
| | - Abinit Saha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science & Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, 700126, India,Corresponding authors.
| | - Rudra P. Saha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science & Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, 700126, India,Corresponding authors.
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Ponath F, Hör J, Vogel J. An overview of gene regulation in bacteria by small RNAs derived from mRNA 3' ends. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2022; 46:fuac017. [PMID: 35388892 PMCID: PMC9438474 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuac017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) that regulate mRNAs by short base pairing have gone from a curiosity to a major class of post-transcriptional regulators in bacteria. They are integral to many stress responses and regulatory circuits, affecting almost all aspects of bacterial life. Following pioneering sRNA searches in the early 2000s, the field quickly focused on conserved sRNA genes in the intergenic regions of bacterial chromosomes. Yet, it soon emerged that there might be another rich source of bacterial sRNAs-processed 3' end fragments of mRNAs. Several such 3' end-derived sRNAs have now been characterized, often revealing unexpected, conserved functions in diverse cellular processes. Here, we review our current knowledge of these 3' end-derived sRNAs-their biogenesis through ribonucleases, their molecular mechanisms, their interactions with RNA-binding proteins such as Hfq or ProQ and their functional scope, which ranges from acting as specialized regulators of single metabolic genes to constituting entire noncoding arms in global stress responses. Recent global RNA interactome studies suggest that the importance of functional 3' end-derived sRNAs has been vastly underestimated and that this type of cross-regulation between genes at the mRNA level is more pervasive in bacteria than currently appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falk Ponath
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jens Hör
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Vogel
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
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12
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Coronel-Tellez RH, Pospiech M, Barrault M, Liu W, Bordeau V, Vasnier C, Felden B, Sargueil B, Bouloc P. sRNA-controlled iron sparing response in Staphylococci. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:8529-8546. [PMID: 35904807 PMCID: PMC9410917 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus, a human opportunist pathogen, adjusts its metabolism to cope with iron deprivation within the host. We investigated the potential role of small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) in dictating this process. A single sRNA, named here IsrR, emerged from a competition assay with tagged-mutant libraries as being required during iron starvation. IsrR is iron-repressed and predicted to target mRNAs expressing iron-containing enzymes. Among them, we demonstrated that IsrR down-regulates the translation of mRNAs of enzymes that catalyze anaerobic nitrate respiration. The IsrR sequence reveals three single-stranded C-rich regions (CRRs). Mutational and structural analysis indicated a differential contribution of these CRRs according to targets. We also report that IsrR is required for full lethality of S. aureus in a mouse septicemia model, underscoring its role as a major contributor to the iron-sparing response for bacterial survival during infection. IsrR is conserved among staphylococci, but it is not ortholog to the proteobacterial sRNA RyhB, nor to other characterized sRNAs down-regulating mRNAs of iron-containing enzymes. Remarkably, these distinct sRNAs regulate common targets, illustrating that RNA-based regulation provides optimal evolutionary solutions to improve bacterial fitness when iron is scarce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo H Coronel-Tellez
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC) 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Mateusz Pospiech
- CNRS UMR 8038, CitCoM, Université Paris Cité 75006, Paris, France
| | - Maxime Barrault
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC) 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Wenfeng Liu
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC) 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Valérie Bordeau
- Université de Rennes 1, BRM (Bacterial regulatory RNAs and Medicine) UMR_S 1230 35000, Rennes, France
| | | | - Brice Felden
- Université de Rennes 1, BRM (Bacterial regulatory RNAs and Medicine) UMR_S 1230 35000, Rennes, France
| | - Bruno Sargueil
- CNRS UMR 8038, CitCoM, Université Paris Cité 75006, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Bouloc
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC) 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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13
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Menard G, Silard C, Suriray M, Rouillon A, Augagneur Y. Thirty Years of sRNA-Mediated Regulation in Staphylococcus aureus: From Initial Discoveries to In Vivo Biological Implications. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23137346. [PMID: 35806357 PMCID: PMC9266662 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23137346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a widespread livestock and human pathogen that colonizes diverse microenvironments within its host. Its adaptation to the environmental conditions encountered within humans relies on coordinated gene expression. This requires a sophisticated regulatory network, among which regulatory RNAs (usually called sRNAs) have emerged as key players over the last 30 years. In S. aureus, sRNAs regulate target genes at the post-transcriptional level through base–pair interactions. The functional characterization of a subset revealed that they participate in all biological processes, including virulence, metabolic adaptation, and antibiotic resistance. In this review, we report 30 years of S. aureus sRNA studies, from their discovery to the in-depth characterizations of some of them. We also discuss their actual in vivo contribution, which is still lagging behind, and their place within the complex regulatory network. These shall be key aspects to consider in order to clearly uncover their in vivo biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Menard
- CHU Rennes, INSERM, BRM (Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine), SB2H (Service de Bactériologie Hygiène-Hospitalière), University Rennes, UMR_S 1230, F-35000 Rennes, France; (G.M.); (M.S.)
| | - Chloé Silard
- INSERM, BRM (Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine), University Rennes, UMR_S 1230, F-35000 Rennes, France; (C.S.); (A.R.)
| | - Marie Suriray
- CHU Rennes, INSERM, BRM (Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine), SB2H (Service de Bactériologie Hygiène-Hospitalière), University Rennes, UMR_S 1230, F-35000 Rennes, France; (G.M.); (M.S.)
| | - Astrid Rouillon
- INSERM, BRM (Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine), University Rennes, UMR_S 1230, F-35000 Rennes, France; (C.S.); (A.R.)
| | - Yoann Augagneur
- INSERM, BRM (Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine), University Rennes, UMR_S 1230, F-35000 Rennes, France; (C.S.); (A.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-223234631
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14
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McKellar SW, Ivanova I, Arede P, Zapf RL, Mercier N, Chu LC, Mediati DG, Pickering AC, Briaud P, Foster RG, Kudla G, Fitzgerald JR, Caldelari I, Carroll RK, Tree JJ, Granneman S. RNase III CLASH in MRSA uncovers sRNA regulatory networks coupling metabolism to toxin expression. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3560. [PMID: 35732654 PMCID: PMC9217828 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31173-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterial pathogen responsible for significant human morbidity and mortality. Post-transcriptional regulation by small RNAs (sRNAs) has emerged as an important mechanism for controlling virulence. However, the functionality of the majority of sRNAs during infection is unknown. To address this, we performed UV cross-linking, ligation, and sequencing of hybrids (CLASH) in MRSA to identify sRNA-RNA interactions under conditions that mimic the host environment. Using a double-stranded endoribonuclease III as bait, we uncovered hundreds of novel sRNA-RNA pairs. Strikingly, our results suggest that the production of small membrane-permeabilizing toxins is under extensive sRNA-mediated regulation and that their expression is intimately connected to metabolism. Additionally, we also uncover an sRNA sponging interaction between RsaE and RsaI. Taken together, we present a comprehensive analysis of sRNA-target interactions in MRSA and provide details on how these contribute to the control of virulence in response to changes in metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart W McKellar
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Ivayla Ivanova
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Pedro Arede
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Rachel L Zapf
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | - Noémie Mercier
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Liang-Cui Chu
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Daniel G Mediati
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052, NSW, Australia
| | - Amy C Pickering
- The Roslin Institute and Edinburgh Infectious Diseases, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Paul Briaud
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | - Robert G Foster
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Grzegorz Kudla
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - J Ross Fitzgerald
- The Roslin Institute and Edinburgh Infectious Diseases, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Isabelle Caldelari
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ronan K Carroll
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
- The Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | - Jai J Tree
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052, NSW, Australia
| | - Sander Granneman
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK.
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15
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Cengher L, Manna AC, Cho J, Theprungsirikul J, Sessions K, Rigby W, Cheung AL. Regulation of neutrophil myeloperoxidase inhibitor SPIN by the small RNA Teg49 in Staphylococcus aureus. Mol Microbiol 2022; 117:1447-1463. [PMID: 35578788 PMCID: PMC9880452 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Teg49 is a Staphylococcus aureus trans-acting regulatory sRNA derived from cleavage of the sarA P3 transcript. We showed by RNA-Seq here that the 5' trident-like structure in Teg49 regulates transcriptionally (direct and indirect) 22 genes distinct from sarA. Among these, Teg49 was noted to repress spn, encoding a 102 residue preprotein which yields the mature 73 residue peptide which inhibits the catalytic activity of myeloperoxidase in human neutrophils. Teg49 was found to regulate spn mRNA post-transcriptionally in strain SH1000 through 9-nt base-pairing between hairpin loop 2 of Teg49 and an exposed bulge of the spn mRNA. Mutations of the Teg49 binding site disrupted the repression of spn, leading to reduced degradation, and increased half-life of spn mRNA in the Teg49 mutant. The spn-Teg49 interaction was also confirmed with a synonymous spn mutation to yield enhanced spn expression in the mutant vs. the parent. The Teg49 mutant with increased spn expression exhibited enhanced resistance to MPO activity in vitro. Killing assays with human neutrophils showed that the Teg49 mutant was more resistant to killing after phagocytosis. Altogether, this study shows that Teg49 in S. aureus has a distinct and important regulatory profile whereby this sRNA modulates resistance to myeloperoxidase-mediated killing by human neutrophils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liviu Cengher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine Dartmouth College Hanover New Hampshire USA
| | - Adhar C. Manna
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine Dartmouth College Hanover New Hampshire USA
| | - Junho Cho
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine Dartmouth College Hanover New Hampshire USA
| | - Jomkuan Theprungsirikul
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine Dartmouth College Hanover New Hampshire USA
| | - Katherine Sessions
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine Dartmouth College Hanover New Hampshire USA
| | - William Rigby
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine Dartmouth College Hanover New Hampshire USA
| | - Ambrose L. Cheung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine Dartmouth College Hanover New Hampshire USA
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16
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Menendez-Gil P, Catalan-Moreno A, Caballero CJ, Toledo-Arana A. Staphylococcus aureus ftnA 3'-Untranslated Region Modulates Ferritin Production Facilitating Growth Under Iron Starvation Conditions. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:838042. [PMID: 35572681 PMCID: PMC9093591 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.838042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron acquisition and modulation of its intracellular concentration are critical for the development of all living organisms. So far, several proteins have been described to be involved in iron homeostasis. Among them, ferritins act as the major iron storage proteins, sequestering internalized iron and modulating its concentration inside bacterial cells. We previously described that the deletion of the 3’-untranslated region (3’UTR) of the ftnA gene, which codes for ferritin in Staphylococcus aureus, increased the ftnA mRNA and ferritin levels. Here, we show that the ferritin levels are affected by RNase III and PNPase, which target the ftnA 3’UTR. Rifampicin mRNA stability experiments revealed that the half-life of the ftnA mRNA is affected by both RNase III and the ftnA 3’UTR. A transcriptional fusion of the ftnA 3’UTR to the gfp reporter gene decreased green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression, indicating that the ftnA 3’UTR could work as an independent module. Additionally, a chromosomal deletion of the ftnA 3’UTR impaired S. aureus growth under conditions of iron starvation. Overall, this work highlights the biological relevance of the ftnA 3’UTR for iron homeostasis in S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Menendez-Gil
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Gobierno de Navarra, Navarra, Spain
| | - Arancha Catalan-Moreno
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Gobierno de Navarra, Navarra, Spain
| | - Carlos J Caballero
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Gobierno de Navarra, Navarra, Spain
| | - Alejandro Toledo-Arana
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Gobierno de Navarra, Navarra, Spain
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17
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Gonçalves KB, Appel RJC, Bôas LAV, Cardoso PF, Bôas GTV. Genomic insights into the diversity of non-coding RNAs in Bacillus cereus sensu lato. Curr Genet 2022; 68:449-466. [PMID: 35552506 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-022-01240-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus cereus sensu lato is a group of bacteria of medical and agricultural importance in different ecological niches and with controversial taxonomic relationships. Studying the composition of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in several bacterial groups has been an important tool for identifying genetic information and better understanding genetic regulation towards environment adaptation. However, to date, no comparative genomics study of ncRNA has been performed in this group. Thus, this study aimed to identify and characterize the set of ncRNAs from 132 strains of Bacillus cereus, Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus anthracis to obtain an overview of the diversity and distribution of these genetic elements in these species. We observed that the number of ncRNAs differs in the chromosomes of the three species, but not in the plasmids, when species or phylogenetic clusters were compared. The prevailing functional/structural category was Cis-reg and the most frequent class was Riboswitch. However, in plasmids, the class Group II intron was the most frequent. Also, nine ncRNAs were selected for validation in the strain B. thuringiensis 407 by RT-PCR, which allowed to identify the expression of the ncRNAs. The wide distribution and diversity of ncRNAs in the B. cereus group, and more intensely in B. thuringiensis, may help improve the abilities of these species to adapt to various environmental changes. Further studies should address the expression of these genetic elements in different conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kátia B Gonçalves
- Depto Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
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18
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Subramanian D, Natarajan J. Leveraging big data bioinformatics approaches to extract knowledge from Staphylococcus aureus public omics data. Crit Rev Microbiol 2022; 49:391-413. [PMID: 35468027 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2022.2065905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a notorious pathogen posing challenges in the medical industry due to drug resistance and biofilm formation. The horizon of knowledge on S. aureus pathogenesis has expanded with the advancement of data-driven bioinformatics techniques. Mining information from sequenced genomes and their expression data is an economic approach that alleviates wastage of resources and redundancy in experiments. The current review covers how big data bioinformatics has been used in the analysis of S. aureus from publicly available -omics data to uncover mechanisms of infection and inhibition. Particularly, advances in the past two decades in biomarker discovery, host responses, phenotype identification, consolidation of information, and drug development are discussed highlighting the challenges and shortcomings. Overall, the review summarizes the diverse aspects of scrupulous re-analysis of S. aureus proteomic and transcriptomic expression datasets retrieved from public repositories in terms of the efforts taken, benefits offered, and follow-up actions. The detailed review thus serves as a reference and aid for (i) Computational biologists by briefing the approaches utilized for bacterial omics re-analysis concerning S. aureus and (ii) Experimental biologists by elucidating the potential of bioinformatics in biological research to generate reliable postulates in a prompt and economical manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devika Subramanian
- Data Mining and Text Mining Laboratory, Department of Bioinformatics, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India
| | - Jeyakumar Natarajan
- Data Mining and Text Mining Laboratory, Department of Bioinformatics, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India
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19
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Desgranges E, Barrientos L, Herrgott L, Marzi S, Toledo-Arana A, Moreau K, Vandenesch F, Romby P, Caldelari I. The 3'UTR-derived sRNA RsaG coordinates redox homeostasis and metabolism adaptation in response to glucose-6-phosphate uptake in Staphylococcus aureus. Mol Microbiol 2021; 117:193-214. [PMID: 34783400 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus RsaG is a 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR) derived sRNA from the conserved uhpT gene encoding a glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) transporter expressed in response to extracellular G6P. The transcript uhpT-RsaG undergoes degradation from 5'- to 3'-end by the action of the exoribonucleases J1/J2, which are blocked by a stable hairpin structure at the 5'-end of RsaG, leading to its accumulation. RsaG together with uhpT is induced when bacteria are internalized into host cells or in the presence of mucus-secreting cells. Using MS2-affinity purification coupled with RNA sequencing, several RNAs were identified as targets including mRNAs encoding the transcriptional factors Rex, CcpA, SarA, and the sRNA RsaI. Our data suggested that RsaG contributes to the control of redox homeostasis and adjusts metabolism to changing environmental conditions. RsaG uses different molecular mechanisms to stabilize, degrade, or repress the translation of its mRNA targets. Although RsaG is conserved only in closely related species, the uhpT 3'UTR of the ape pathogen S. simiae harbors an sRNA, whose sequence is highly different, and which does not respond to G6P levels. Our results hypothesized that the 3'UTRs from UhpT transporter encoding mRNAs could have rapidly evolved to enable adaptation to host niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Desgranges
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Laura Barrientos
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Lucas Herrgott
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Stefano Marzi
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Karen Moreau
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - François Vandenesch
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Pascale Romby
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Isabelle Caldelari
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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20
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Le Huyen KB, Gonzalez CD, Pascreau G, Bordeau V, Cattoir V, Liu W, Bouloc P, Felden B, Chabelskaya S. A small regulatory RNA alters Staphylococcus aureus virulence by titrating RNAIII activity. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:10644-10656. [PMID: 34554192 PMCID: PMC8501977 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic human and animal pathogen with an arsenal of virulence factors that are tightly regulated during bacterial infection. The latter is achieved through a sophisticated network of regulatory proteins and regulatory RNAs. Here, we describe the involvement of a novel prophage-carried small regulatory S. aureus RNA, SprY, in the control of virulence genes. An MS2-affinity purification assay reveals that SprY forms a complex in vivo with RNAIII, a major regulator of S. aureus virulence genes. SprY binds to the 13th stem-loop of RNAIII, a key functional region involved in the repression of multiple mRNA targets. mRNAs encoding the repressor of toxins Rot and the extracellular complement binding protein Ecb are among the targets whose expression is increased by SprY binding to RNAIII. Moreover, SprY decreases S. aureus hemolytic activity and virulence. Our results indicate that SprY titrates RNAIII activity by targeting a specific stem loop. Thus, we demonstrate that a prophage-encoded sRNA reduces the pathogenicity of S. aureus through RNA sponge activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Boi Le Huyen
- Inserm, BRM [Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine] - UMR_S 1230, 35033 Rennes, France
| | | | - Gaëtan Pascreau
- Inserm, BRM [Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine] - UMR_S 1230, 35033 Rennes, France
| | - Valérie Bordeau
- Inserm, BRM [Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine] - UMR_S 1230, 35033 Rennes, France
| | - Vincent Cattoir
- Inserm, BRM [Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine] - UMR_S 1230, 35033 Rennes, France
| | - Wenfeng Liu
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Philippe Bouloc
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Brice Felden
- Inserm, BRM [Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine] - UMR_S 1230, 35033 Rennes, France
| | - Svetlana Chabelskaya
- Inserm, BRM [Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine] - UMR_S 1230, 35033 Rennes, France
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21
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Patel N, Nair M. The small RNA RsaF regulates the expression of secreted virulence factors in Staphylococcus aureus Newman. J Microbiol 2021; 59:920-930. [PMID: 34554453 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-021-1205-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus, from local infections to systemic dissemination, is mediated by a battery of virulence factors that are regulated by intricate mechanisms, which include regulatory proteins and small RNAs (sRNAs) as key regulatory molecules. We have investigated the involvement of sRNA RsaF, in the regulation of pathogenicity genes hyaluronate lyase (hysA) and serine proteaselike protein D (splD), by employing S. aureus strains with disruption and overexpression of rsaF. Staphylococcus aureus strain with disruption of rsaF exhibited marked down-regulation of hysA transcripts by 0.2 to 0.0002 fold, and hyaluronate lyase activity by 0.2-0.1 fold, as well as increased biofilm formation, during growth from log phase to stationery phase. These mutants also displayed down-regulation of splD transcripts by 0.8 to 0.005 fold, and reduced activity of multiple proteases by zymography. Conversely, overexpression of rsaF resulted in a 2- to 4- fold increase in hysA mRNA levels and hyaluronidase activity. Both hysA and splD mRNAs demonstrated an increased stability in RsaF+ strains. In silico RNA-RNA interaction indicated a direct base pairing of RsaF with hysA and splD mRNAs, which was established in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. The findings demonstrate a positive regulatory role for small RNA RsaF in the expression of the virulence factors, HysA and SplD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niralee Patel
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology Centre, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, 390002, India
| | - Mrinalini Nair
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology Centre, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, 390002, India.
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22
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Felden B, Augagneur Y. Diversity and Versatility in Small RNA-Mediated Regulation in Bacterial Pathogens. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:719977. [PMID: 34447363 PMCID: PMC8383071 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.719977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial gene expression is under the control of a large set of molecules acting at multiple levels. In addition to the transcription factors (TFs) already known to be involved in global regulation of gene expression, small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are emerging as major players in gene regulatory networks, where they allow environmental adaptation and fitness. Developments in high-throughput screening have enabled their detection in the entire bacterial kingdom. These sRNAs influence a plethora of biological processes, including but not limited to outer membrane synthesis, metabolism, TF regulation, transcription termination, virulence, and antibiotic resistance and persistence. Almost always noncoding, they regulate target genes at the post-transcriptional level, usually through base-pair interactions with mRNAs, alone or with the help of dedicated chaperones. There is growing evidence that sRNA-mediated mechanisms of actions are far more diverse than initially thought, and that they go beyond the so-called cis- and trans-encoded classifications. These molecules can be derived and processed from 5' untranslated regions (UTRs), coding or non-coding sequences, and even from 3' UTRs. They usually act within the bacterial cytoplasm, but recent studies showed sRNAs in extracellular vesicles, where they influence host cell interactions. In this review, we highlight the various functions of sRNAs in bacterial pathogens, and focus on the increasing examples of widely diverse regulatory mechanisms that might compel us to reconsider what constitute the sRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brice Felden
- Inserm, Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine (BRM) - UMR_S 1230, Rennes, France
| | - Yoann Augagneur
- Inserm, Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine (BRM) - UMR_S 1230, Rennes, France
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23
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Barrientos L, Mercier N, Lalaouna D, Caldelari I. Assembling the Current Pieces: The Puzzle of RNA-Mediated Regulation in Staphylococcus aureus. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:706690. [PMID: 34367109 PMCID: PMC8334554 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.706690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The success of the major opportunistic human Staphylococcus aureus relies on the production of numerous virulence factors, which allow rapid colonization and dissemination in any tissues. Indeed, regulation of its virulence is multifactorial, and based on the production of transcriptional factors, two-component systems (TCS) and small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs). Advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies have unveiled the existence of hundreds of potential RNAs with regulatory functions, but only a fraction of which have been validated in vivo. These discoveries have modified our thinking and understanding of bacterial physiology and virulence fitness by placing sRNAs, alongside transcriptional regulators, at the center of complex and intertwined regulatory networks that allow S. aureus to rapidly adapt to the environmental cues present at infection sites. In this review, we describe the recently acquired knowledge of characterized regulatory RNAs in S. aureus that are associated with metal starvation, nutrient availability, stress responses and virulence. These findings highlight the importance of sRNAs for the comprehension of S. aureus infection processes while raising questions about the interplay between these key regulators and the pathways they control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Barrientos
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Strasbourg, France
| | - Noémie Mercier
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Strasbourg, France
| | - David Lalaouna
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Strasbourg, France
| | - Isabelle Caldelari
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Strasbourg, France
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24
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Durand S, Callan-Sidat A, McKeown J, Li S, Kostova G, Hernandez-Fernaud JR, Alam MT, Millard A, Allouche D, Constantinidou C, Condon C, Denham EL. Identification of an RNA sponge that controls the RoxS riboregulator of central metabolism in Bacillus subtilis. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:6399-6419. [PMID: 34096591 PMCID: PMC8216469 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
sRNAs are a taxonomically-restricted but transcriptomically-abundant class of post-transcriptional regulators. While of major importance for adaption to the environment, we currently lack global-scale methodology enabling target identification, especially in species without known RNA hub proteins (e.g. Hfq). Using psoralen RNA cross-linking and Illumina-sequencing we identify RNA-RNA interacting pairs in vivo in Bacillus subtilis, resolving previously well-described interactants. Although sRNA-sRNA pairings are rare (compared with sRNA-mRNA), we identify a robust example involving the conserved sRNA RoxS and an unstudied sRNA RosA (Regulator of sRNA A). We show RosA to be the first confirmed RNA sponge described in a Gram-positive bacterium. RosA interacts with at least two sRNAs, RoxS and FsrA. The RosA/RoxS interaction not only affects the levels of RoxS but also its processing and regulatory activity. We also found that the transcription of RosA is repressed by CcpA, the key regulator of carbon-metabolism in B. subtilis. Since RoxS is already known to be transcriptionally controlled by malate via the transcriptional repressor Rex, its post-transcriptional regulation by CcpA via RosA places RoxS in a key position to control central metabolism in response to varying carbon sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Durand
- UMR8261, CNRS, Université de Paris, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Adam Callan-Sidat
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK
| | - Josie McKeown
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK
| | - Stephen Li
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK
| | - Gergana Kostova
- UMR8261, CNRS, Université de Paris, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Juan R Hernandez-Fernaud
- School of Life Sciences, Proteomics Research Technology Platform, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK
| | - Mohammad Tauqeer Alam
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK
| | - Andrew Millard
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK
| | - Delphine Allouche
- UMR8261, CNRS, Université de Paris, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Chrystala Constantinidou
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK
| | - Ciarán Condon
- UMR8261, CNRS, Université de Paris, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Emma L Denham
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK
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25
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Boudry P, Piattelli E, Drouineau E, Peltier J, Boutserin A, Lejars M, Hajnsdorf E, Monot M, Dupuy B, Martin-Verstraete I, Gautheret D, Toffano-Nioche C, Soutourina O. Identification of RNAs bound by Hfq reveals widespread RNA partners and a sporulation regulator in the human pathogen Clostridioides difficile. RNA Biol 2021; 18:1931-1952. [PMID: 33629931 PMCID: PMC8583004 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2021.1882180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Noncoding RNAs (ncRNA) have emerged as important components of regulatory networks governing bacterial physiology and virulence. Previous deep-sequencing analysis identified a large diversity of ncRNAs in the human enteropathogen Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile. Some of them are trans-encoded RNAs that could require the RNA chaperone protein Hfq for their action. Recent analysis suggested a pleiotropic role of Hfq in C. difficile with the most pronounced effect on sporulation, a key process during the infectious cycle of this pathogen. However, a global view of RNAs interacting with C. difficile Hfq is missing. In the present study, we performed RNA immunoprecipitation high-throughput sequencing (RIP-Seq) to identify Hfq-associated RNAs in C. difficile. Our work revealed a large set of Hfq-interacting mRNAs and ncRNAs, including mRNA leaders and coding regions, known and potential new ncRNAs. In addition to trans-encoded RNAs, new categories of Hfq ligands were found including cis-antisense RNAs, riboswitches and CRISPR RNAs. ncRNA-mRNA and ncRNA-ncRNA pairings were postulated through computational predictions. Investigation of one of the Hfq-associated ncRNAs, RCd1, suggests that this RNA contributes to the control of late stages of sporulation in C. difficile. Altogether, these data provide essential molecular basis for further studies of post-transcriptional regulatory network in this enteropathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Boudry
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France.,Laboratoire Pathogenèses des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Emma Piattelli
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Emilie Drouineau
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Johann Peltier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France.,Laboratoire Pathogenèses des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Anaïs Boutserin
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Maxence Lejars
- UMR8261, CNRS, Université de Paris, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
| | - Eliane Hajnsdorf
- UMR8261, CNRS, Université de Paris, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
| | - Marc Monot
- Laboratoire Pathogenèses des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Biomics Platform, C2RT, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Bruno Dupuy
- Laboratoire Pathogenèses des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Martin-Verstraete
- Laboratoire Pathogenèses des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Daniel Gautheret
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Claire Toffano-Nioche
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Olga Soutourina
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France.,Laboratoire Pathogenèses des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
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26
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Sinha D, Sinha D, Dutta A, Chakraborty T, Mondal R, Seal S, Poddar A, Chatterjee S, Sau S. Alternative Sigma Factor of Staphylococcus aureus Interacts with the Cognate Antisigma Factor Primarily Using Its Domain 3. Biochemistry 2021; 60:135-151. [PMID: 33406357 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
σB, an alternative sigma factor, is usually employed to tackle the general stress response in Staphylococcus aureus and other Gram-positive bacteria. This protein, involved in S. aureus-mediated pathogenesis, is typically blocked by RsbW, an antisigma factor having serine kinase activity. σB, a σ70-like sigma factor, harbors three conserved domains designated σB2, σB3, and σB4. To better understand the interaction between RsbW and σB or its domains, we have studied their recombinant forms, rRsbW, rσB, rσB2, rσB3, and rσB4, using different probes. The results show that none of the rσB domains, unlike rσB, showed binding to a cognate DNA in the presence of a core RNA polymerase. However, both rσB2 and rσB3, like rσB, interacted with rRsbW, and the order of their rRsbW binding affinity looks like rσB > rσB3 > rσB2. Furthermore, the reaction between rRsbW and rσB or rσB3 was exothermic and occurred spontaneously. rRsbW and rσB3 also associate with each other at a stoichiometry of 2:1, and different types of noncovalent bonds might be responsible for their interaction. A structural model of the RsbW-σB3 complex that has supported our experimental results indicated the binding of rσB3 at the putative dimeric interface of RsbW. A genetic study shows that the tentative dimer-forming region of RsbW is crucial for preserving its rσB binding ability, serine kinase activity, and dimerization ability. Additionally, a urea-induced equilibrium unfolding study indicated a notable thermodynamic stabilization of σB3 in the presence of RsbW. Possible implications of the stabilization data in drug discovery were discussed at length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debabrata Sinha
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | - Debasmita Sinha
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | - Anindya Dutta
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | - Tushar Chakraborty
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | - Rajkrishna Mondal
- Department of Biotechnology, Nagaland University, Dimapur, Nagaland 797112, India
| | - Soham Seal
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | - Asim Poddar
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | | | - Subrata Sau
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
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27
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Piattelli E, Peltier J, Soutourina O. Interplay between Regulatory RNAs and Signal Transduction Systems during Bacterial Infection. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E1209. [PMID: 33081172 PMCID: PMC7602753 DOI: 10.3390/genes11101209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of pathogenic bacteria to stably infect the host depends on their capacity to respond and adapt to the host environment and on the efficiency of their defensive mechanisms. Bacterial envelope provides a physical barrier protecting against environmental threats. It also constitutes an important sensory interface where numerous sensing systems are located. Signal transduction systems include Two-Component Systems (TCSs) and alternative sigma factors. These systems are able to sense and respond to the ever-changing environment inside the host, altering the bacterial transcriptome to mitigate the impact of the stress. The regulatory networks associated with signal transduction systems comprise small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) that can be directly involved in the expression of virulence factors. The aim of this review is to describe the importance of TCS- and alternative sigma factor-associated sRNAs in human pathogens during infection. The currently available genome-wide approaches for studies of TCS-regulated sRNAs will be discussed. The differences in the signal transduction mediated by TCSs between bacteria and higher eukaryotes and the specificity of regulatory RNAs for their targets make them appealing targets for discovery of new strategies to fight against multi-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Piattelli
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CNRS, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; (E.P.); (J.P.)
| | - Johann Peltier
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CNRS, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; (E.P.); (J.P.)
- Laboratoire Pathogenèses des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, UMR CNRS 2001, Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Olga Soutourina
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CNRS, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; (E.P.); (J.P.)
- Institut Universitaire de France, CEDEX 05, 75231 Paris, France
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28
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Menendez-Gil P, Caballero CJ, Catalan-Moreno A, Irurzun N, Barrio-Hernandez I, Caldelari I, Toledo-Arana A. Differential evolution in 3'UTRs leads to specific gene expression in Staphylococcus. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:2544-2563. [PMID: 32016395 PMCID: PMC7049690 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of gene expression regulation has contributed to species differentiation. The 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs) of mRNAs include regulatory elements that modulate gene expression; however, our knowledge of their implications in the divergence of bacterial species is currently limited. In this study, we performed genome-wide comparative analyses of mRNAs encoding orthologous proteins from the genus Staphylococcus and found that mRNA conservation was lost mostly downstream of the coding sequence (CDS), indicating the presence of high sequence diversity in the 3'UTRs of orthologous genes. Transcriptomic mapping of different staphylococcal species confirmed that 3'UTRs were also variable in length. We constructed chimeric mRNAs carrying the 3'UTR of orthologous genes and demonstrated that 3'UTR sequence variations affect protein production. This suggested that species-specific functional 3'UTRs might be specifically selected during evolution. 3'UTR variations may occur through different processes, including gene rearrangements, local nucleotide changes, and the transposition of insertion sequences. By extending the conservation analyses to specific 3'UTRs, as well as the entire set of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis mRNAs, we showed that 3'UTR variability is widespread in bacteria. In summary, our work unveils an evolutionary bias within 3'UTRs that results in species-specific non-coding sequences that may contribute to bacterial diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Menendez-Gil
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB), CSIC-UPNA-Gobierno de Navarra, 31192-Mutilva, Navarra, Spain
| | - Carlos J Caballero
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB), CSIC-UPNA-Gobierno de Navarra, 31192-Mutilva, Navarra, Spain
| | - Arancha Catalan-Moreno
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB), CSIC-UPNA-Gobierno de Navarra, 31192-Mutilva, Navarra, Spain
| | - Naiara Irurzun
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB), CSIC-UPNA-Gobierno de Navarra, 31192-Mutilva, Navarra, Spain
| | - Inigo Barrio-Hernandez
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Isabelle Caldelari
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, UPR9002, F-67000-Strasbourg, France
| | - Alejandro Toledo-Arana
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB), CSIC-UPNA-Gobierno de Navarra, 31192-Mutilva, Navarra, Spain
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29
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Jørgensen MG, Pettersen JS, Kallipolitis BH. sRNA-mediated control in bacteria: An increasing diversity of regulatory mechanisms. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2020; 1863:194504. [PMID: 32061884 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2020.194504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) act as post-transcriptional regulators controlling bacterial adaptation to environmental changes. Our current understanding of the mechanisms underlying sRNA-mediated control is mainly based on studies in Escherichia coli and Salmonella. Ever since the discovery of sRNAs decades ago, these Gram-negative species have served as excellent model organisms in the field of sRNA biology. More recently, the role of sRNAs in gene regulation has become the center of attention in a broader range of species, including Gram-positive model organisms. Here, we highlight some of the most apparent similarities and differences between Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria with respect to the mechanisms underlying sRNA-mediated control. Although key aspects of sRNA regulation appear to be highly conserved, novel themes are arising from studies in Gram-positive species, such as a clear abundance of sRNAs acting through multiple C-rich motifs, and an apparent lack of RNA-binding proteins with chaperone activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikkel Girke Jørgensen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark.
| | - Jens Sivkær Pettersen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark.
| | - Birgitte H Kallipolitis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark.
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30
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Adams PP, Storz G. Prevalence of small base-pairing RNAs derived from diverse genomic loci. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2020; 1863:194524. [PMID: 32147527 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2020.194524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Small RNAs (sRNAs) that act by base-pairing have been shown to play important roles in fine-tuning the levels and translation of their target transcripts across a variety of model and pathogenic organisms. Work from many different groups in a wide range of bacterial species has provided evidence for the importance and complexity of sRNA regulatory networks, which allow bacteria to quickly respond to changes in their environment. However, despite the expansive literature, much remains to be learned about all aspects of sRNA-mediated regulation, particularly in bacteria beyond the well-characterized Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica species. Here we discuss what is known, and what remains to be learned, about the identification of regulatory base-pairing RNAs produced from diverse genomic loci including how their expression is regulated. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: RNA and gene control in bacteria edited by Dr. M. Guillier and F. Repoila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip P Adams
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892-5430, USA; Postdoctoral Research Associate Program, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-6200, USA.
| | - Gisela Storz
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892-5430, USA
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31
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Comparative Transcriptomic and Functional Assessments of Linezolid-Responsive Small RNA Genes in Staphylococcus aureus. mSystems 2020; 5:5/1/e00665-19. [PMID: 31911464 PMCID: PMC6946794 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00665-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) are RNA molecules that can have important regulatory roles across gene expression networks. There is a growing understanding of the scope and potential breadth of impact of sRNAs on global gene expression patterns in Staphylococcus aureus, a major human pathogen. Here, transcriptome comparisons were used to examine the roles of sRNA genes with a potential role in the response of S. aureus to antibiotic exposure. Although no measurable impact on key bacterial phenotypes was observed after deleting each of 18 sRNAs identified by these comparisons, this research is significant because it underscores the subtle modes of action of these sometimes abundant molecules within the bacterium. Staphylococcus aureus contains a repertoire of at least 50 and possibly 500 small RNAs (sRNAs). The functions of most sRNAs are not understood, although some are known to respond to environmental changes, including the presence of antibiotics. Here, in an effort to better understand the roles of sRNAs in the context of antibiotic exposure, we took a clinical methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolate and separately deleted eight sRNAs that were significantly upregulated in response to the last-line antibiotic linezolid as revealed by transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) comparisons. We also deleted an additional 10 sRNAs that were either highly expressed or previously found to respond to antibiotic exposure. There were no significant changes for any of the 18 mutants in a variety of phenotypic screens, including MIC screens, growth competition assays in the presence of linezolid, biofilm formation, and resistance to whole-blood killing. These data suggest sRNA functional redundancy, because despite their high expression levels upon antibiotic exposure, individual sRNA genes do not affect readily observable bacterial phenotypes. The sRNA transcriptional changes we measured during antibiotic exposure might also reflect sRNA “indifference,” that is, a general stress response not specifically related to sRNA function. These data underscore the need for sensitive assays and new approaches to try and decipher the functions of sRNA genes in S. aureus. IMPORTANCE Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) are RNA molecules that can have important regulatory roles across gene expression networks. There is a growing understanding of the scope and potential breadth of impact of sRNAs on global gene expression patterns in Staphylococcus aureus, a major human pathogen. Here, transcriptome comparisons were used to examine the roles of sRNA genes with a potential role in the response of S. aureus to antibiotic exposure. Although no measurable impact on key bacterial phenotypes was observed after deleting each of 18 sRNAs identified by these comparisons, this research is significant because it underscores the subtle modes of action of these sometimes abundant molecules within the bacterium.
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32
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Augagneur Y, King AN, Germain-Amiot N, Sassi M, Fitzgerald JW, Sahukhal GS, Elasri MO, Felden B, Brinsmade SR. Analysis of the CodY RNome reveals RsaD as a stress-responsive riboregulator of overflow metabolism in Staphylococcus aureus. Mol Microbiol 2019; 113:309-325. [PMID: 31696578 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In Staphylococcus aureus, the transcription factor CodY modulates the expression of hundreds of genes, including most virulence factors, in response to the availability of key nutrients like GTP and branched-chain amino acids. Despite numerous studies examining how CodY controls gene expression directly or indirectly, virtually nothing is known about the extent to which CodY exerts its effect through small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs). Herein, we report the first set of sRNAs under the control of CodY. We reveal that staphylococcal sRNA RsaD is overexpressed >20-fold in a CodY-deficient strain in three S. aureus clinical isolates and in S. epidermidis. We validated the CodY-dependent regulation of rsaD and demonstrated that CodY directly represses rsaD expression by binding the promoter. Using a combination of molecular techniques, we show that RsaD posttranscriptionally regulates alsS (acetolactate synthase) mRNA and enzyme levels. We further show that RsaD redirects carbon overflow metabolism, contributing to stationary phase cell death during exposure to weak acid stress. Taken together, our data delineate a role for CodY in controlling sRNA expression in a major human pathogen and indicate that RsaD may integrate nutrient depletion and other signals to mount a response to physiological stress experienced by S. aureus in diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoann Augagneur
- INSERM U1230 Biochimie Pharmaceutique, Université de Rennes I, Rennes, France
| | - Alyssa N King
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Mohamed Sassi
- INSERM U1230 Biochimie Pharmaceutique, Université de Rennes I, Rennes, France
| | | | - Gyan S Sahukhal
- Center of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Mohamed O Elasri
- Center of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Brice Felden
- INSERM U1230 Biochimie Pharmaceutique, Université de Rennes I, Rennes, France
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Lalaouna D, Baude J, Wu Z, Tomasini A, Chicher J, Marzi S, Vandenesch F, Romby P, Caldelari I, Moreau K. RsaC sRNA modulates the oxidative stress response of Staphylococcus aureus during manganese starvation. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:9871-9887. [PMID: 31504767 PMCID: PMC6765141 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The human opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus produces numerous small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) for which functions are still poorly understood. Here, we focused on an atypical and large sRNA called RsaC. Its length varies between different isolates due to the presence of repeated sequences at the 5′ end while its 3′ part is structurally independent and highly conserved. Using MS2-affinity purification coupled with RNA sequencing (MAPS) and quantitative differential proteomics, sodA mRNA was identified as a primary target of RsaC sRNA. SodA is a Mn-dependent superoxide dismutase involved in oxidative stress response. Remarkably, rsaC gene is co-transcribed with the major manganese ABC transporter MntABC and, consequently, RsaC is mainly produced in response to Mn starvation. This 3′UTR-derived sRNA is released from mntABC-RsaC precursor after cleavage by RNase III. The mature and stable form of RsaC inhibits the synthesis of the Mn-containing enzyme SodA synthesis and favors the oxidative stress response mediated by SodM, an alternative SOD enzyme using either Mn or Fe as co-factor. In addition, other putative targets of RsaC are involved in oxidative stress (ROS and NOS) and metal homeostasis (Fe and Zn). Consequently, RsaC may balance two interconnected defensive responses, i.e. oxidative stress and metal-dependent nutritional immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Lalaouna
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jessica Baude
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm U1111, Université Lyon1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon, France
| | - Zongfu Wu
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Arnaud Tomasini
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, Strasbourg, France
| | - Johana Chicher
- Plateforme protéomique Strasbourg-Esplanade, IBMC-CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Stefano Marzi
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, Strasbourg, France
| | - François Vandenesch
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm U1111, Université Lyon1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon, France.,Centre National de Référence des Staphylocoques, Institut des Agents Infectieux, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Pascale Romby
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, Strasbourg, France
| | - Isabelle Caldelari
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, Strasbourg, France
| | - Karen Moreau
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm U1111, Université Lyon1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon, France
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34
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Desgranges E, Bronesky D, Corvaglia A, François P, Caballero C, Prado L, Toledo-Arana A, Lasa I, Moreau K, Vandenesch F, Marzi S, Romby P, Caldelari I. RsaI, un ARN régulateur aux multiples facettes, module le métabolisme du pathogène opportuniste Staphylococcus aureus. Med Sci (Paris) 2019; 35:1221-1223. [DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2019235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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35
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Subramanian D, Bhasuran B, Natarajan J. Genomic analysis of RNA-Seq and sRNA-Seq data identifies potential regulatory sRNAs and their functional roles in Staphylococcus aureus. Genomics 2019; 111:1431-1446. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2018.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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36
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Georg J, Lalaouna D, Hou S, Lott SC, Caldelari I, Marzi S, Hess WR, Romby P. The power of cooperation: Experimental and computational approaches in the functional characterization of bacterial sRNAs. Mol Microbiol 2019; 113:603-612. [PMID: 31705780 PMCID: PMC7154689 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Trans‐acting small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are key players in the regulation of gene expression in bacteria. There are hundreds of different sRNAs in a typical bacterium, which in contrast to eukaryotic microRNAs are more heterogeneous in length, sequence composition, and secondary structure. The vast majority of sRNAs function post‐transcriptionally by binding to other RNAs (mRNAs, sRNAs) through rather short regions of imperfect sequence complementarity. Besides, every single sRNA may interact with dozens of different target RNAs and impact gene expression either negatively or positively. These facts contributed to the view that the entirety of the regulatory targets of a given sRNA, its targetome, is challenging to identify. However, recent developments show that a more comprehensive sRNAs targetome can be achieved through the combination of experimental and computational approaches. Here, we give a short introduction into these methods followed by a description of two sRNAs, RyhB, and RsaA, to illustrate the particular strengths and weaknesses of these approaches in more details. RyhB is an sRNA involved in iron homeostasis in Enterobacteriaceae, while RsaA is a modulator of virulence in Staphylococcus aureus. Using such a combined strategy, a better appreciation of the sRNA‐dependent regulatory networks is now attainable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Georg
- Faculty of Biology, Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - David Lalaouna
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Shengwei Hou
- Faculty of Biology, Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Steffen C Lott
- Faculty of Biology, Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Isabelle Caldelari
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Stefano Marzi
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Wolfgang R Hess
- Faculty of Biology, Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Pascale Romby
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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37
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Mai J, Rao C, Watt J, Sun X, Lin C, Zhang L, Liu J. Mycobacterium tuberculosis 6C sRNA binds multiple mRNA targets via C-rich loops independent of RNA chaperones. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:4292-4307. [PMID: 30820540 PMCID: PMC6486639 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are the most abundant class of post-transcriptional regulators and have been well studied in Gram-negative bacteria. Little is known about the functions and mechanisms of sRNAs in high GC Gram-positive bacteria including Mycobacterium and Streptomyces. Here, we performed an in-depth study of 6C sRNA of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is conserved among high GC Gram-positive bacteria. Forty-seven genes were identified as possible direct targets of 6C sRNA and 15 of them were validated using an in vivo translational lacZ fusion system. We found that 6C sRNA plays a pleotropic role and regulates genes involved in various cellular processes, including DNA replication and protein secretion. Mapping the interactions of 6C sRNA with mRNA targets panD and dnaB revealed that the C-rich loops of 6C sRNA act as direct binding sites to mRNA targets. Unlike in Gram-negative bacteria where RNA binding proteins Hfq and ProQ are required, the interactions of 6C sRNA with mRNAs appear to be independent of RNA chaperones. Our findings suggest that the multiple G–C pairings between single stranded regions are sufficient to establish stable interactions between 6C sRNA and mRNA targets, providing a mechanism for sRNAs in high GC Gram-positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juntao Mai
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chitong Rao
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Watt
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xian Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Genetics, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Genetics, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Genetics, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microorganisms, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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38
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Slager J, Aprianto R, Veening JW. Deep genome annotation of the opportunistic human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae D39. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:9971-9989. [PMID: 30107613 PMCID: PMC6212727 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
A precise understanding of the genomic organization into transcriptional units and their regulation is essential for our comprehension of opportunistic human pathogens and how they cause disease. Using single-molecule real-time (PacBio) sequencing we unambiguously determined the genome sequence of Streptococcus pneumoniae strain D39 and revealed several inversions previously undetected by short-read sequencing. Significantly, a chromosomal inversion results in antigenic variation of PhtD, an important surface-exposed virulence factor. We generated a new genome annotation using automated tools, followed by manual curation, reflecting the current knowledge in the field. By combining sequence-driven terminator prediction, deep paired-end transcriptome sequencing and enrichment of primary transcripts by Cappable-Seq, we mapped 1015 transcriptional start sites and 748 termination sites. We show that the pneumococcal transcriptional landscape is complex and includes many secondary, antisense and internal promoters. Using this new genomic map, we identified several new small RNAs (sRNAs), RNA switches (including sixteen previously misidentified as sRNAs), and antisense RNAs. In total, we annotated 89 new protein-encoding genes, 34 sRNAs and 165 pseudogenes, bringing the S. pneumoniae D39 repertoire to 2146 genetic elements. We report operon structures and observed that 9% of operons are leaderless. The genome data are accessible in an online resource called PneumoBrowse (https://veeninglab.com/pneumobrowse) providing one of the most complete inventories of a bacterial genome to date. PneumoBrowse will accelerate pneumococcal research and the development of new prevention and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelle Slager
- Molecular Genetics Group, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Centre for Synthetic Biology, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Rieza Aprianto
- Molecular Genetics Group, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Centre for Synthetic Biology, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jan-Willem Veening
- Molecular Genetics Group, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Centre for Synthetic Biology, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands.,Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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39
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Abstract
Regulatory RNAs, present in many bacterial genomes and particularly in pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, control the expression of genes encoding virulence factors or metabolic proteins. They are extremely diverse and include noncoding RNAs (sRNA), antisense RNAs, and some 5' or 3' untranslated regions of messenger RNAs that act as sensors for metabolites, tRNAs, or environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, pH). In this review we focus on specific examples of sRNAs of S. aureus that illustrate how numerous sRNAs and associated proteins are embedded in complex networks of regulation. In addition, we discuss the CRISPR-Cas systems defined as an RNA-interference-like mechanism, which also exist in staphylococcal strains.
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40
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Lerch MF, Schoenfelder SMK, Marincola G, Wencker FDR, Eckart M, Förstner KU, Sharma CM, Thormann KM, Kucklick M, Engelmann S, Ziebuhr W. A non-coding RNA from the intercellular adhesion (ica) locus of Staphylococcus epidermidis controls polysaccharide intercellular adhesion (PIA)-mediated biofilm formation. Mol Microbiol 2019; 111:1571-1591. [PMID: 30873665 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA)-associated biofilm formation is mediated by the intercellular adhesin (ica) locus and represents a major pathomechanism of Staphylococcus epidermidis. Here, we report on a novel long non-coding (nc)RNA, named IcaZ, which is approximately 400 nucleotides in size. icaZ is located downstream of the ica repressor gene icaR and partially overlaps with the icaR 3' UTR. icaZ exclusively exists in ica-positive S. epidermidis, but not in S. aureus or other staphylococci. Inactivation of the gene completely abolishes PIA production. IcaZ is transcribed as a primary transcript from its own promoter during early- and mid-exponential growth and its transcription is induced by low temperature, ethanol and salt stress. IcaZ targets the icaR 5' UTR and hampers icaR mRNA translation, which alleviates repression of icaADBC operon transcription and results in PIA production. Interestingly, other than in S. aureus, posttranscriptional control of icaR mRNA in S. epidermidis does not involve icaR mRNA 5'/3' UTR base pairing. This suggests major structural and functional differences in icaADBC operon regulation between the two species that also involve the recruitment of ncRNAs. Together, the IcaZ ncRNA represents an unprecedented novel species-specific player involved in the control of PIA production in NBSP S. epidermidis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maike F Lerch
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, Wuerzburg, D-97080, Germany
| | - Sonja M K Schoenfelder
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, Wuerzburg, D-97080, Germany
| | - Gabriella Marincola
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, Wuerzburg, D-97080, Germany
| | - Freya D R Wencker
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, Wuerzburg, D-97080, Germany
| | - Martin Eckart
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, Wuerzburg, D-97080, Germany
| | - Konrad U Förstner
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, Wuerzburg, D-97080, Germany.,Faculty of Information Science and Communication Studies, TH Köln, Cologne, D-50678, Germany.,ZB MED-Information Centre for Life Sciences, Cologne, Germany
| | - Cynthia M Sharma
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, Wuerzburg, D-97080, Germany
| | - Kai M Thormann
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of Gießen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, Gießen, 35392, Germany
| | - Martin Kucklick
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Microbial Proteomics, Inhoffenstraße 7, Braunschweig, 38124, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Technical University Braunschweig, Spielmannstr. 7, Braunschweig, 38106, Germany
| | - Susanne Engelmann
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Microbial Proteomics, Inhoffenstraße 7, Braunschweig, 38124, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Technical University Braunschweig, Spielmannstr. 7, Braunschweig, 38106, Germany
| | - Wilma Ziebuhr
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, Wuerzburg, D-97080, Germany
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41
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Marincola G, Wencker FDR, Ziebuhr W. The Many Facets of the Small Non-coding RNA RsaE (RoxS) in Metabolic Niche Adaptation of Gram-Positive Bacteria. J Mol Biol 2019; 431:4684-4698. [PMID: 30914292 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are increasingly recognized as players in the complex regulatory networks governing bacterial gene expression. RsaE (synonym RoxS) is an sRNA that is highly conserved in bacteria of the Bacillales order. Recent analyses in Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis identified RsaE/RoxS as a potent riboregulator of central carbon metabolism and energy balance with many molecular RsaE/RoxS functions and targets being shared across species. Similarities and species-specific differences in cellular processes modulated by RsaE/RoxS suggest that this sRNA plays a prominent role in the adaptation of Gram-positive bacteria to niches with varying nutrient availabilities and environmental cues. This review summarizes recent findings on the molecular function of RsaE/RoxS and its interaction with mRNA targets. Special emphasis will be on the integration of RsaE/RoxS into metabolic regulatory circuits and, derived from this, the role of RsaE/RoxS as a putative driver to generate phenotypic heterogeneity in bacterial populations. In this respect, we will particularly discuss heterogeneous RsaE expression in S. epidermidis biofilms and its possible contribution to metabolic niche diversification, programmed bacterial lysis and biofilm matrix production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Marincola
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Freya D R Wencker
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Wilma Ziebuhr
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
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42
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Bronesky D, Desgranges E, Corvaglia A, François P, Caballero CJ, Prado L, Toledo-Arana A, Lasa I, Moreau K, Vandenesch F, Marzi S, Romby P, Caldelari I. A multifaceted small RNA modulates gene expression upon glucose limitation in Staphylococcus aureus. EMBO J 2019; 38:e99363. [PMID: 30760492 PMCID: PMC6418428 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201899363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria must rapidly adapt to ever-changing environmental signals resulting in metabolism remodeling. The carbon catabolite repression, mediated by the catabolite control protein A (CcpA), is used to express genes involved in utilization and metabolism of the preferred carbon source. Here, we have identified RsaI as a CcpA-repressed small non-coding RNA that is inhibited by high glucose concentrations. When glucose is consumed, RsaI represses translation initiation of mRNAs encoding a permease of glucose uptake and the FN3K enzyme that protects proteins against damage caused by high glucose concentrations. RsaI also binds to the 3' untranslated region of icaR mRNA encoding the transcriptional repressor of exopolysaccharide production and to sRNAs induced by the uptake of glucose-6 phosphate or nitric oxide. Furthermore, RsaI expression is accompanied by a decreased transcription of genes involved in carbon catabolism pathway and an activation of genes involved in energy production, fermentation, and nitric oxide detoxification. This multifaceted RNA can be considered as a metabolic signature when glucose becomes scarce and growth is arrested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Bronesky
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Emma Desgranges
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Anna Corvaglia
- Genomic Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Specialties, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Patrice François
- Genomic Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Specialties, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Laura Prado
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB), CSIC-UPNA-GN, Navarra, Spain
| | | | - Inigo Lasa
- Navarrabiomed-Universidad Pública de Navarra-Departamento de Salud, IDISNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Karen Moreau
- CIRI, Centre international de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Univ Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - François Vandenesch
- CIRI, Centre international de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Univ Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Stefano Marzi
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pascale Romby
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Isabelle Caldelari
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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43
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Schoenfelder SMK, Lange C, Prakash SA, Marincola G, Lerch MF, Wencker FDR, Förstner KU, Sharma CM, Ziebuhr W. The small non-coding RNA RsaE influences extracellular matrix composition in Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm communities. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007618. [PMID: 30870530 PMCID: PMC6435200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
RsaE is a conserved small regulatory RNA (sRNA) which was previously reported to represent a riboregulator of central carbon flow and other metabolic pathways in Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. Here we show that RsaE contributes to extracellular (e)DNA release and biofilm-matrix switching towards polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA) production in a hypervariable Staphylococcus epidermidis isolate. Transcriptome analysis through differential RNA sequencing (dRNA-seq) in combination with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and reporter gene fusions demonstrate that S. epidermidis protein- and PIA-biofilm matrix producers differ with respect to RsaE and metabolic gene expression. RsaE is spatiotemporally expressed within S. epidermidis PIA-mediated biofilms, and its overexpression triggers a PIA biofilm phenotype as well as eDNA release in an S. epidermidis protein biofilm matrix-producing strain background. dRNA-seq and Northern blot analyses revealed RsaE to exist as a major full-length 100-nt transcript and a minor processed species lacking approximately 20 nucleotides at the 5'-end. RsaE processing results in expansion of the mRNA target spectrum. Thus, full-length RsaE interacts with S. epidermidis antiholin-encoding lrgA mRNA, facilitating bacterial lysis and eDNA release. Processed RsaE, however, interacts with the 5'-UTR of icaR and sucCD mRNAs, encoding the icaADBC biofilm operon repressor IcaR and succinyl-CoA synthetase of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, respectively. RsaE augments PIA-mediated biofilm matrix production, most likely through activation of icaADBC operon expression via repression of icaR as well as by TCA cycle inhibition and re-programming of staphylococcal central carbon metabolism towards PIA precursor synthesis. Additionally, RsaE supports biofilm formation by mediating the release of eDNA as stabilizing biofilm matrix component. As RsaE itself is heterogeneously expressed within biofilms, we consider this sRNA to function as a factor favoring phenotypic heterogeneity and supporting division of labor in S. epidermidis biofilm communities. Bacterial biofilms are highly organized structures which functionally emulate multicellular organisms, last but not least through heterogeneous gene expression patterns displayed by biofilm subpopulations. Here we analyzed the functions of the non-coding RNA RsaE in Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm communities. RsaE exerted unexpected influences on S. epidermidis biofilm matrix composition by triggering localized eDNA release and facilitating PIA expression. RsaE accomplishes these effects by targeting mRNAs involved in bacterial lysis control, icaADBC expression and TCA cycle activity, with RsaE undergoing processing to exploit its full target potential. Interestingly, RsaE interaction with lysis-engaged lrgA mRNA is specific for S. epidermidis lrgA, but does not occur with lrgA mRNA from S. aureus, suggesting species-specific differences in staphylococcal lysis control. We speculate that RsaE-mediated bacterial lysis might represent a form of bacterial altruism contributing to biofilm structuring by providing nutrients to neighboring bacterial cells as well as by releasing eDNA as stabilizing biofilm matrix component. Due to its heterogeneous expression, we consider RsaE as a supporting factor that facilitates population diversity. Together, the data give insight into an unanticipated role of sRNAs as players in S. epidermidis biofilm organization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudia Lange
- University of Würzburg, Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Gabriella Marincola
- University of Würzburg, Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Maike F. Lerch
- University of Würzburg, Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Freya D. R. Wencker
- University of Würzburg, Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Konrad U. Förstner
- University of Würzburg, Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Cynthia M. Sharma
- University of Würzburg, Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Wilma Ziebuhr
- University of Würzburg, Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, Würzburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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44
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Lam TJ, Ye Y. CRISPRs for Strain Tracking and Their Application to Microbiota Transplantation Data Analysis. CRISPR J 2019; 2:41-50. [PMID: 30820491 PMCID: PMC6390457 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2018.0046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas systems are adaptive immune systems naturally found in bacteria and archaea. Prokaryotes use these immune systems to defend against invaders, which include phages, plasmids, and other mobile genetic elements. Relying on the integration of spacers derived from invader sequences (protospacers) into CRISPR loci (forming spacers flanked by repeats), CRISPR-Cas systems are able to store the memory of past immunological encounters. While CRISPR-Cas systems have evolved in response to invading mobile genetic elements, invaders have also developed mechanisms to avoid detection. As a result of an arms race between CRISPR-Cas systems and their targets, CRISPR arrays typically undergo rapid turnover of spacers through the acquisition and loss events. Additionally, microbiomes of different individuals rarely share spacers. Here, we present a computational pipeline, CRISPRtrack, for strain tracking based on CRISPR spacer content, and we applied it to fecal transplantation microbiome data to study the retention of donor strains in recipients. Our results demonstrate the potential use of CRISPRs as a simple yet effective tool for donor-strain tracking in fecal transplantation and as a general purpose tool for quantifying microbiome similarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony J Lam
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Yuzhen Ye
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
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The Small RNA Teg41 Regulates Expression of the Alpha Phenol-Soluble Modulins and Is Required for Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.02484-18. [PMID: 30723124 PMCID: PMC6428751 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02484-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The alpha phenol-soluble modulins (αPSMs) are among the most potent toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus. Their biological role during infection has been studied in detail; however, the way they are produced by the bacterial cell is not well understood. In this work, we identify a small RNA molecule called Teg41 that plays an important role in αPSM production by S. aureus. Teg41 positively influences αPSM production. The importance of Teg41 is highlighted by the fact that a strain containing a deletion in the 3′ end of Teg41 produces significantly less αPSMs and is attenuated for virulence in a mouse abscess model of infection. As the search for new therapeutic strategies to combat S. aureus infection proceeds, Teg41 may represent a novel target. Small RNAs (sRNAs) remain an understudied class of regulatory molecules in bacteria in general and in Gram-positive bacteria in particular. In the major human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, hundreds of sRNAs have been identified; however, only a few have been characterized in detail. In this study, we investigate the role of the sRNA Teg41 in S. aureus virulence. We demonstrate that Teg41, an sRNA divergently transcribed from the locus that encodes the cytolytic alpha phenol-soluble modulin (αPSM) peptides, plays a critical role in αPSM production. Overproduction of Teg41 leads to an increase in αPSM levels and a corresponding increase in hemolytic activity from S. aureus cells and cell-free culture supernatants. To identify regions of Teg41 important for its function, we performed an in silico RNA-RNA interaction analysis which predicted an interaction between the 3′ end of Teg41 and the αPSM transcript. Deleting a 24-nucleotide region from the S. aureus genome, corresponding to the 3′ end of Teg41, led to a 10-fold reduction in αPSM-dependent hemolytic activity and attenuation of virulence in a murine abscess model of infection. Restoration of hemolytic activity in the Teg41Δ3′ strain was possible by expressing full-length Teg41 in trans. Restoration of hemolytic activity was also possible by expressing the 3′ end of Teg41, suggesting that this region of Teg41 is necessary and sufficient for αPSM-dependent hemolysis. Our results show that Teg41 is positively influencing αPSM production, demonstrating for the first time regulation of the αPSM peptides by an sRNA in S. aureus.
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46
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Abstract
Bacterial regulatory RNAs are key players in adaptation to changing environmental conditions and response to diverse cellular stresses. However, while regulatory RNAs of bacterial pathogens have been intensely studied under defined conditions in vitro, characterization of their role during the infection of eukaryotic host organisms is lagging behind. This review summarizes our current understanding of the contribution of the different classes of regulatory RNAs and RNA-binding proteins to bacterial virulence and illustrates their role in infection by reviewing the mechanisms of some prominent representatives of each class. Emerging technologies are described that bear great potential for global, unbiased studies of virulence-related RNAs in bacterial model and nonmodel pathogens in the future. The review concludes by deducing common principles of RNA-mediated gene expression control of virulence programs in different pathogens, and by defining important open questions for upcoming research in the field.
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47
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Abstract
Small regulatory RNAs are now recognized as key regulators of gene expression in bacteria. They accumulate under specific conditions, most often because their synthesis is directly controlled by transcriptional regulators, including but not limited to alternative sigma factors and response regulators of two-component systems. In turn, small RNAs regulate, mostly at the posttranscriptional level, expression of multiple genes, among which are genes encoding transcriptional regulators. Small RNAs are thus embedded in mixed regulatory circuits combining transcriptional and posttranscriptional controls, and whose properties are discussed here.
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48
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Reed JM, Olson S, Brees DF, Griffin CE, Grove RA, Davis PJ, Kachman SD, Adamec J, Somerville GA. Coordinated regulation of transcription by CcpA and the Staphylococcus aureus two-component system HptRS. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207161. [PMID: 30540769 PMCID: PMC6291074 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The success of Staphylococcus aureus as a pathogen is due in part to its ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions using signal transduction pathways, such as metabolite- responsive regulators and two-component systems. S. aureus has a two-component system encoded by the gene pair sav0224 (hptS) and sav0223 (hptR) that regulate the hexose phosphate transport (uhpT) system in response to extracellular glucose-6-phosphate. Glycolytic intermediates such as glucose-6-phosphate are important carbon sources that also modulate the activity of the global metabolite-responsive transcriptional regulator CcpA. Because uhpT has a putative CcpA binding site in its promoter and it is regulated by HptR, it was hypothesized the regulons of CcpA and HptR might intersect. To determine if the regulatory domains of CcpA and HptRS overlap, ccpA was deleted in strains SA564 and SA564-ΔhptRS and growth, metabolic, proteomic, and transcriptional differences were assessed. As expected, CcpA represses hptS and hptR in a glucose dependent manner; however, upon CcpA derepression, the HptRS system functions as a transcriptional activator of metabolic genes within the CcpA regulon. Importantly, inactivation of ccpA and hptRS altered sensitivity to fosfomycin and ampicillin in the absence of exogenous glucose-6-phosphate, indicating that both CcpA and HptRS modulate antibiotic susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M. Reed
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Sean Olson
- Department of Statistics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Danielle F. Brees
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Caitlin E. Griffin
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Ryan A. Grove
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Paul J. Davis
- Unaffiliated, Honey Creek, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Stephen D. Kachman
- Department of Statistics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Jiri Adamec
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Greg A. Somerville
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Horn J, Klepsch M, Manger M, Wolz C, Rudel T, Fraunholz M. Long Noncoding RNA SSR42 Controls Staphylococcus aureus Alpha-Toxin Transcription in Response to Environmental Stimuli. J Bacteriol 2018; 200:e00252-18. [PMID: 30150231 PMCID: PMC6199474 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00252-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen causing a variety of diseases by versatile expression of a large set of virulence factors that most prominently features the cytotoxic and hemolytic pore-forming alpha-toxin. Expression of alpha-toxin is regulated by an intricate network of transcription factors. These include two-component systems sensing quorum and environmental signals as well as regulators reacting to the nutritional status of the pathogen. We previously identified the repressor of surface proteins (Rsp) as a virulence regulator. Acute cytotoxicity and hemolysis are strongly decreased in rsp mutants, which are characterized by decreased transcription of toxin genes as well as loss of transcription of a 1,232-nucleotide (nt)-long noncoding RNA (ncRNA), SSR42. Here, we show that SSR42 is the effector of Rsp in transcription regulation of the alpha-toxin gene, hla SSR42 transcription is enhanced after exposure of S. aureus to subinhibitory concentrations of oxacillin which thus leads to an SSR42-dependent increase in hemolysis. Aside from Rsp, SSR42 transcription is under the control of additional global regulators, such as CodY, AgrA, CcpE, and σB, but is positioned upstream of the two-component system SaeRS in the regulatory cascade leading to alpha-toxin production. Thus, alpha-toxin expression depends on two long ncRNAs, SSR42 and RNAIII, which control production of the cytolytic toxin on the transcriptional and translational levels, respectively, with SSR42 as an important regulator of SaeRS-dependent S. aureus toxin production in response to environmental and metabolic signals.IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureus is a major cause of life-threatening infections. The bacterium expresses alpha-toxin, a hemolysin and cytotoxin responsible for many of the pathologies of S. aureus Alpha-toxin production is enhanced by subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics. Here, we show that this process is dependent on the long noncoding RNA, SSR42. Further, SSR42 itself is regulated by several global regulators, thereby integrating environmental and nutritional signals that modulate hemolysis of the pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Horn
- Biocenter, Chair of Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Maximilian Klepsch
- Biocenter, Chair of Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Michelle Manger
- Biocenter, Chair of Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christiane Wolz
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Rudel
- Biocenter, Chair of Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Martin Fraunholz
- Biocenter, Chair of Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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50
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Rochat T, Bohn C, Morvan C, Le Lam T, Razvi F, Pain A, Toffano-Nioche C, Ponien P, Jacq A, Jacquet E, Fey PD, Gautheret D, Bouloc P. The conserved regulatory RNA RsaE down-regulates the arginine degradation pathway in Staphylococcus aureus. Nucleic Acids Res 2018; 46:8803-8816. [PMID: 29986060 PMCID: PMC6158497 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2017] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
RsaE is a regulatory RNA highly conserved amongst Firmicutes that lowers the amount of mRNAs associated with the TCA cycle and folate metabolism. A search for new RsaE targets in Staphylococcus aureus revealed that in addition to previously described substrates, RsaE down-regulates several genes associated with arginine catabolism. In particular, RsaE targets the arginase rocF mRNA via direct interactions involving G-rich motifs. Two duplicated C-rich motifs of RsaE can independently downregulate rocF expression. The faster growth rate of ΔrsaE compared to its parental strain in media containing amino acids as sole carbon source points to an underlying role for RsaE in amino acid catabolism. Collectively, the data support a model in which RsaE acts as a global regulator of functions associated with metabolic adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Rochat
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
- VIM, INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Chantal Bohn
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Claire Morvan
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Thao Nguyen Le Lam
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Fareha Razvi
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Adrien Pain
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Claire Toffano-Nioche
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Prishila Ponien
- Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS UPR 2301, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Annick Jacq
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Eric Jacquet
- Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS UPR 2301, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Paul D Fey
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Daniel Gautheret
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Philippe Bouloc
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
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