1
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Marogi JG, Murphy CT, Myhrvold C, Gitai Z. P. aeruginosa controls both C. elegans attraction and pathogenesis by regulating nitrogen assimilation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.29.569279. [PMID: 38077073 PMCID: PMC10705433 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2024]
Abstract
Detecting chemical signals is important for identifying food sources and avoiding harmful agents. Like most animals, C. elegans use olfaction to chemotax towards their main food source, bacteria. However, little is known about the bacterial compounds governing C. elegans attraction to bacteria and the physiological importance of these compounds to bacteria. Here, we address these questions by investigating the function of a small RNA, P11, in the pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, that was previously shown to mediate learned pathogen avoidance. We discovered that this RNA also affects the attraction of untrained C. elegans to P. aeruginosa and does so by controlling production of ammonia, a volatile odorant produced during nitrogen assimilation. We untangle the complex regulation of P. aeruginosa nitrogen assimilation, which is mediated by a partner-switching mechanism involving environmental nitrates, sensor proteins, and P11. In addition to mediating C. elegans attraction, nitrogen assimilation is important for bacterial fitness and pathogenesis during C. elegans infection by P. aeruginosa . These studies define ammonia as a major mediator of trans-kingdom signaling, reveal the physiological importance of nitrogen assimilation for both bacteria and host organisms, and highlight how a bacterial metabolic pathway can either benefit or harm a host in different contexts.
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2
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Sarshar M, Scribano D, Palamara AT, Ambrosi C, Masotti A. The Acinetobacter baumannii model can explain the role of small non-coding RNAs as potential mediators of host-pathogen interactions. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1088783. [PMID: 36619166 PMCID: PMC9810633 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1088783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) research has accelerated over the past decade, boosted by advances in RNA-seq technologies and methodologies for capturing both protein-RNA and RNA-RNA interactions. The emerging picture is that these regulatory sRNAs play important roles in controlling complex physiological processes and are required to survive the antimicrobial challenge. In recent years, the RNA content of OMVs/EVs has also gained increasing attention, particularly in the context of infection. Secreted RNAs from several bacterial pathogens have been characterized but the exact mechanisms promoting pathogenicity remain elusive. In this review, we briefly discuss how secreted sRNAs interact with targets in infected cells, thus representing a novel perspective of host cell manipulation during bacterial infection. During the last decade, Acinetobacter baumannii became clinically relevant emerging pathogens responsible for nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Therefore, we also summarize recent findings of regulation by sRNAs in A. baumannii and discuss how this emerging bacterium utilizes many of these sRNAs to adapt to its niche and become successful human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meysam Sarshar
- Research Laboratories, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy,*Correspondence: Meysam Sarshar, ; Andrea Masotti,
| | - Daniela Scribano
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Teresa Palamara
- Laboratory Affiliated to Institute Pasteur Italia-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy,Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Cecilia Ambrosi
- Department of Human Sciences and Promotion of the Quality of Life, San Raffaele Roma Open University, Rome, Italy,IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Masotti
- Research Laboratories, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy,*Correspondence: Meysam Sarshar, ; Andrea Masotti,
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3
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Xu Q, Chen H, Sun W, Zhang Y, Zhu D, Rai KR, Chen JL, Chen Y. sRNA23, a novel small RNA, regulates to the pathogenesis of Streptococcus suis serotype 2. Virulence 2021; 12:3045-3061. [PMID: 34882070 PMCID: PMC8667912 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.2008177] [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] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
ABBREVIATION sRNA: small noncoding RNA; FBA: fructose diphosphate aldolase; rplB: 50S ribosomal protein L2; RACE: rapid amplification of cDNA ends; EMSA: electrophoretic mobility shift assay; THB: Todd-Hewitt broth; FBS: fetal bovine serum; BIP: 2,2'-Bipyridine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanming Xu
- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Fujian- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Fujian- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wen Sun
- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Fujian- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yongyi Zhang
- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Fujian- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Dewen Zhu
- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Fujian- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Kul Raj Rai
- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Fujian- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ji-Long Chen
- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Fujian- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ye Chen
- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Fujian- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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4
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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: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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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5
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In Silico Prediction for ncRNAs in Prokaryotes. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34251633 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1534-8_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
The identification and characterization of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in prokaryotes is an important step in the study of the interaction of these molecules with mRNAs-or target proteins, in the post-transcriptional regulation process. Here, we describe one of the main in silico prediction methods in prokaryotes, using the TargetRNA2 tool to predict target mRNAs.
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6
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Medina-Pérez DN, Wager B, Troy E, Gao L, Norris SJ, Lin T, Hu L, Hyde JA, Lybecker M, Skare JT. The intergenic small non-coding RNA ittA is required for optimal infectivity and tissue tropism in Borrelia burgdorferi. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008423. [PMID: 32365143 PMCID: PMC7224557 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-transcriptional regulation via small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) has been implicated in diverse regulatory processes in bacteria, including virulence. One class of sRNAs, termed trans-acting sRNAs, can affect the stability and/or the translational efficiency of regulated transcripts. In this study, we utilized a collaborative approach that employed data from infection with the Borrelia burgdorferi Tn library, coupled with Tn-seq, together with borrelial sRNA and total RNA transcriptomes, to identify an intergenic trans-acting sRNA, which we designate here as ittA for infectivity-associated and tissue-tropic sRNA locus A. The genetic inactivation of ittA resulted in a significant attenuation in infectivity, with decreased spirochetal load in ear, heart, skin and joint tissues. In addition, the ittA mutant did not disseminate to peripheral skin sites or heart tissue, suggesting a role for ittA in regulating a tissue-tropic response. RNA-Seq analysis determined that 19 transcripts were differentially expressed in the ittA mutant relative to its genetic parent, including vraA, bba66, ospD and oms28 (bba74). Subsequent proteomic analyses also showed a significant decrease of OspD and Oms28 (BBA74) proteins. To our knowledge this is the first documented intergenic sRNA that alters the infectivity potential of B. burgdorferi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana N. Medina-Pérez
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas, United States of America
| | - Beau Wager
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Erin Troy
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lihui Gao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Steven J. Norris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Tao Lin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Linden Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jenny A. Hyde
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas, United States of America
| | - Meghan Lybecker
- Department of Biology, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Jon T. Skare
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas, United States of America
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7
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Han R, Haning K, Gonzalez-Rivera JC, Yang Y, Li R, Cho SH, Huang J, Simonsen BA, Yang S, Contreras LM. Multiple Small RNAs Interact to Co-regulate Ethanol Tolerance in Zymomonas mobilis. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:155. [PMID: 32195236 PMCID: PMC7064620 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
sRNAs represent a powerful class of regulators that influences multiple mRNA targets in response to environmental changes. However, very few direct sRNA-sRNA interactions have been deeply studied in any organism. Zymomonas mobilis is a bacterium with unique ethanol-producing metabolic pathways in which multiple small RNAs (sRNAs) have recently been identified, some of which show differential expression in ethanol stress. In this study, we show that two sRNAs (Zms4 and Zms6) are upregulated under ethanol stress and have significant impacts on ethanol tolerance and production in Z. mobilis. We conducted multi-omics analysis (combining transcriptomics and sRNA-immunoprecipitation) to map gene networks under the influence of their regulation. We confirmed that Zms4 and Zms6 bind multiple RNA targets and regulate their expressions, influencing many downstream pathways important to ethanol tolerance and production. In particular, Zms4 and Zms6 interact with each other as well as many other sRNAs, forming a novel sRNA-sRNA direct interaction network. This study thus uncovers a sRNA network that co-orchestrates multiple ethanol related pathways through a diverse set of mRNA targets and a large number of sRNAs. To our knowledge, this study represents one of the largest sRNA-sRNA direct interactions uncovered so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runhua Han
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Katie Haning
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Juan C Gonzalez-Rivera
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Yongfu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-resources, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, and School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Runxia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-resources, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, and School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Seung Hee Cho
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Ju Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-resources, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, and School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bobi A Simonsen
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Shihui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-resources, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, and School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lydia M Contreras
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.,Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
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8
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Diallo I, Provost P. RNA-Sequencing Analyses of Small Bacterial RNAs and their Emergence as Virulence Factors in Host-Pathogen Interactions. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E1627. [PMID: 32120885 PMCID: PMC7084465 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins have long been considered to be the most prominent factors regulating so-called invasive genes involved in host-pathogen interactions. The possible role of small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs), either intracellular, secreted or packaged in outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), remained unclear until recently. The advent of high-throughput RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) techniques has accelerated sRNA discovery. RNA-seq radically changed the paradigm on bacterial virulence and pathogenicity to the point that sRNAs are emerging as an important, distinct class of virulence factors in both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The potential of OMVs, as protectors and carriers of these functional, gene regulatory sRNAs between cells, has also provided an additional layer of complexity to the dynamic host-pathogen relationship. Using a non-exhaustive approach and through examples, this review aims to discuss the involvement of sRNAs, either free or loaded in OMVs, in the mechanisms of virulence and pathogenicity during bacterial infection. We provide a brief overview of sRNA origin and importance, and describe the classical and more recent methods of identification that have enabled their discovery, with an emphasis on the theoretical lower limit of RNA sizes considered for RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrick Provost
- CHUQ Research Center/CHUL, Department of Microbiology-Infectious Disease and Immunity, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada;
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9
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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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10
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Carvalho Garcia A, Dos Santos VLP, Santos Cavalcanti TC, Collaço LM, Graf H. Bacterial Small RNAs in the Genus Herbaspirillum spp. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 20:ijms20010046. [PMID: 30583511 PMCID: PMC6337395 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20010046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Herbaspirillum includes several strains isolated from different grasses. The identification of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the genus Herbaspirillum is an important stage studying the interaction of these molecules and the way they modulate physiological responses of different mechanisms, through RNA⁻RNA interaction or RNA⁻protein interaction. This interaction with their target occurs through the perfect pairing of short sequences (cis-encoded ncRNAs) or by the partial pairing of short sequences (trans-encoded ncRNAs). However, the companion Hfq can stabilize interactions in the trans-acting class. In addition, there are Riboswitches, located at the 5' end of mRNA and less often at the 3' end, which respond to environmental signals, high temperatures, or small binder molecules. Recently, CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats), in prokaryotes, have been described that consist of serial repeats of base sequences (spacer DNA) resulting from a previous exposure to exogenous plasmids or bacteriophages. We identified 285 ncRNAs in Herbaspirillum seropedicae (H. seropedicae) SmR1, expressed in different experimental conditions of RNA-seq material, classified as cis-encoded ncRNAs or trans-encoded ncRNAs and detected RNA riboswitch domains and CRISPR sequences. The results provide a better understanding of the participation of this type of RNA in the regulation of the metabolism of bacteria of the genus Herbaspirillum spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Carvalho Garcia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 80.060-240, Brazil.
| | | | | | - Luiz Martins Collaço
- Department of Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, PR, Curitiba 80.060-240, Brazil.
| | - Hans Graf
- Department of Internal Medicine, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 80.060-240, Brazil.
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11
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Gonzalez GM, Durica-Mitic S, Hardwick SW, Moncrieffe MC, Resch M, Neumann P, Ficner R, Görke B, Luisi BF. Structural insights into RapZ-mediated regulation of bacterial amino-sugar metabolism. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:10845-10860. [PMID: 28977623 PMCID: PMC5737377 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In phylogenetically diverse bacteria, the conserved protein RapZ plays a central role in RNA-mediated regulation of amino-sugar metabolism. RapZ contributes to the control of glucosamine phosphate biogenesis by selectively presenting the regulatory small RNA GlmZ to the essential ribonuclease RNase E for inactivation. Here, we report the crystal structures of full length Escherichia coli RapZ at 3.40 Å and 3.25 Å, and its isolated C-terminal domain at 1.17 Å resolution. The structural data confirm that the N-terminal domain of RapZ possesses a kinase fold, whereas the C-terminal domain bears closest homology to a subdomain of 6-phosphofructokinase, an important enzyme in the glycolytic pathway. RapZ self-associates into a domain swapped dimer of dimers, and in vivo data support the importance of quaternary structure in RNA-mediated regulation of target gene expression. Based on biochemical, structural and genetic data, we suggest a mechanism for binding and presentation by RapZ of GlmZ and the closely related decoy sRNA, GlmY. We discuss a scenario for the molecular evolution of RapZ through re-purpose of enzyme components from central metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grecia M. Gonzalez
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Svetlana Durica-Mitic
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Steven W. Hardwick
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Martin C. Moncrieffe
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Marcus Resch
- Georg-August University Göttingen, Department of Molecular Structural Biology Justus von Liebig Weg 11, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Piotr Neumann
- Georg-August University Göttingen, Department of Molecular Structural Biology Justus von Liebig Weg 11, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ralf Ficner
- Georg-August University Göttingen, Department of Molecular Structural Biology Justus von Liebig Weg 11, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Boris Görke
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ben F. Luisi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
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12
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Abstract
Bacterial pathogens must endure or adapt to different environments and stresses during transmission and infection. Posttranscriptional gene expression control by regulatory RNAs, such as small RNAs and riboswitches, is now considered central to adaptation in many bacteria, including pathogens. The study of RNA-based regulation (riboregulation) in pathogenic species has provided novel insight into how these bacteria regulate virulence gene expression. It has also uncovered diverse mechanisms by which bacterial small RNAs, in general, globally control gene expression. Riboregulators as well as their targets may also prove to be alternative targets or provide new strategies for antimicrobials. In this article, we present an overview of the general mechanisms that bacteria use to regulate with RNA, focusing on examples from pathogens. In addition, we also briefly review how deep sequencing approaches have aided in opening new perspectives in small RNA identification and the study of their functions. Finally, we discuss examples of riboregulators in two model pathogens that control virulence factor expression or survival-associated phenotypes, such as stress tolerance, biofilm formation, or cell-cell communication, to illustrate how riboregulation factors into regulatory networks in bacterial pathogens.
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13
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Madan B, Kasprzak JM, Tuszynska I, Magnus M, Szczepaniak K, Dawson WK, Bujnicki JM. Modeling of Protein-RNA Complex Structures Using Computational Docking Methods. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1414:353-372. [PMID: 27094302 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3569-7_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A significant part of biology involves the formation of RNA-protein complexes. X-ray crystallography has added a few solved RNA-protein complexes to the repertoire; however, it remains challenging to capture these complexes and often only the unbound structures are available. This has inspired a growing interest in finding ways to predict these RNA-protein complexes. In this study, we show ways to approach this problem by computational docking methods, either with a fully automated NPDock server or with a workflow of methods for generation of many alternative structures followed by selection of the most likely solution. We show that by introducing experimental information, the structure of the bound complex is rendered far more likely to be within reach. This study is meant to help the user of docking software understand how to grapple with a typical realistic problem in RNA-protein docking, understand what to expect in the way of difficulties, and recognize the current limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharat Madan
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, ul. Ks. Trojdena 4, 02-109, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna M Kasprzak
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, ul. Ks. Trojdena 4, 02-109, Warsaw, Poland
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Irina Tuszynska
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, ul. Ks. Trojdena 4, 02-109, Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Informatics, University of Warsaw, ul. Banacha 2, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marcin Magnus
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, ul. Ks. Trojdena 4, 02-109, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Szczepaniak
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, ul. Ks. Trojdena 4, 02-109, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wayne K Dawson
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, ul. Ks. Trojdena 4, 02-109, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Janusz M Bujnicki
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, ul. Ks. Trojdena 4, 02-109, Warsaw, Poland.
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
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14
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Song C, van der Voort M, van de Mortel J, Hassan KA, Elbourne LDH, Paulsen IT, Loper JE, Raaijmakers JM. The Rsm regulon of plant growth-promoting Pseudomonas fluorescens SS101: role of small RNAs in regulation of lipopeptide biosynthesis. Microb Biotechnol 2014; 8:296-310. [PMID: 25488342 PMCID: PMC4353343 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.12190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Revised: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The rhizobacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens SS101 inhibits growth of oomycete and fungal pathogens, and induces resistance in plants against pathogens and insects. To unravel regulatory pathways of secondary metabolite production in SS101, we conducted a genome-wide search for sRNAs and performed transcriptomic analyses to identify genes associated with the Rsm (repressor of secondary metabolites) regulon. In silico analysis led to the identification of 16 putative sRNAs in the SS101 genome. In frame deletion of the sRNAs rsmY and rsmZ showed that the Rsm system regulates the biosynthesis of the lipopeptide massetolide A and involves the two repressor proteins RsmA and RsmE, with the LuxR-type transcriptional regulator MassAR as their most likely target. Transcriptome analyses of the rsmYZ mutant further revealed that genes associated with iron acquisition, motility and chemotaxis were significantly upregulated, whereas genes of the type VI secretion system were downregulated. Comparative transcriptomic analyses showed that most, but not all, of the genes controlled by RsmY/RsmZ are also controlled by the GacS/GacA two-component system. We conclude that the Rsm regulon of P. fluorescens SS101 plays a critical role in the regulation of lipopeptide biosynthesis and controls the expression of other genes involved in motility, competition and survival in the plant rhizosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxu Song
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University, 6708 PD, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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15
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Abstract
Efforts to understand the molecular basis of mycobacterial gene regulation are dominated by a protein-centric view. However, there is a growing appreciation that noncoding RNA, i.e., RNA that is not translated, plays a role in a wide variety of molecular mechanisms. Noncoding RNA comprises rRNA, tRNA, 4.5S RNA, RnpB, and transfer-messenger RNA, as well as a vast population of regulatory RNA, often dubbed "the dark matter of gene regulation." The regulatory RNA species comprise 5' and 3' untranslated regions and a rapidly expanding category of transcripts with the ability to base-pair with mRNAs or to interact with proteins. Regulatory RNA plays a central role in the bacterium's response to changes in the environment, and in this article we review emerging information on the presence and abundance of different types of noncoding RNA in mycobacteria.
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16
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Jagusztyn-Krynicka EK, Dadlez M, Grabowska A, Roszczenko P. Proteomic technology in the design of new effective antibacterial vaccines. Expert Rev Proteomics 2014; 6:315-30. [DOI: 10.1586/epr.09.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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17
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The ribonucleoprotein Csr network. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:22117-31. [PMID: 24217225 PMCID: PMC3856055 DOI: 10.3390/ijms141122117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Revised: 10/21/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribonucleoprotein complexes are essential regulatory components in bacteria. In this review, we focus on the carbon storage regulator (Csr) network, which is well conserved in the bacterial world. This regulatory network is composed of the CsrA master regulator, its targets and regulators. CsrA binds to mRNA targets and regulates translation either negatively or positively. Binding to small non-coding RNAs controls activity of this protein. Expression of these regulators is tightly regulated at the level of transcription and stability by various global regulators (RNAses, two-component systems, alarmone). We discuss the implications of these complex regulations in bacterial adaptation.
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18
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Soutourina OA, Monot M, Boudry P, Saujet L, Pichon C, Sismeiro O, Semenova E, Severinov K, Le Bouguenec C, Coppée JY, Dupuy B, Martin-Verstraete I. Genome-wide identification of regulatory RNAs in the human pathogen Clostridium difficile. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003493. [PMID: 23675309 PMCID: PMC3649979 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2012] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is an emergent pathogen, and the most common cause of nosocomial diarrhea. In an effort to understand the role of small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) in C. difficile physiology and pathogenesis, we used an in silico approach to identify 511 sRNA candidates in both intergenic and coding regions. In parallel, RNA–seq and differential 5′-end RNA–seq were used for global identification of C. difficile sRNAs and their transcriptional start sites at three different growth conditions (exponential growth phase, stationary phase, and starvation). This global experimental approach identified 251 putative regulatory sRNAs including 94 potential trans riboregulators located in intergenic regions, 91 cis-antisense RNAs, and 66 riboswitches. Expression of 35 sRNAs was confirmed by gene-specific experimental approaches. Some sRNAs, including an antisense RNA that may be involved in control of C. difficile autolytic activity, showed growth phase-dependent expression profiles. Expression of each of 16 predicted c-di-GMP-responsive riboswitches was observed, and experimental evidence for their regulatory role in coordinated control of motility and biofilm formation was obtained. Finally, we detected abundant sRNAs encoded by multiple C. difficile CRISPR loci. These RNAs may be important for C. difficile survival in bacteriophage-rich gut communities. Altogether, this first experimental genome-wide identification of C. difficile sRNAs provides a firm basis for future RNome characterization and identification of molecular mechanisms of sRNA–based regulation of gene expression in this emergent enteropathogen. The emergent human pathogen Clostridium difficile is a major cause of nosocomial diarrhea associated with antibiotic therapy. During the last few years, severe forms of C. difficile infections became more frequent due to the emergence of hypervirulent isolates. Despite intensive studies, many questions regarding the mechanisms controlling C. difficile virulence remain unanswered. We hypothesized that C. difficile, a member of an ancient group of bacteria, might widely use ancestral RNA–based mechanisms to control its gene expression for better adaptation to host conditions. Indeed, using next-generation sequencing technology, we identified a great number and a large diversity of potential RNA regulators in this pathogen. We obtained experimental evidence for regulatory roles of a particular class of regulatory RNAs responding to c-di-GMP, a universal bacterial signaling molecule regulating motility, biofilm formation, and virulence. We also detected abundant small RNA products of recently discovered adaptive prokaryotic immunity CRISPR-Cas systems that might be important for C. difficile survival in gut communities. Our findings suggest that small RNA molecules may play a major role in regulatory processes during C. difficile infection cycle and as such are promising targets of new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga A Soutourina
- Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
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19
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Göpel Y, Papenfort K, Reichenbach B, Vogel J, Görke B. Targeted decay of a regulatory small RNA by an adaptor protein for RNase E and counteraction by an anti-adaptor RNA. Genes Dev 2013; 27:552-64. [PMID: 23475961 DOI: 10.1101/gad.210112.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) are well established to regulate diverse cellular processes, but how they themselves are regulated is less understood. Recently, we identified a regulatory circuit wherein the GlmY and GlmZ sRNAs of Escherichia coli act hierarchically to activate mRNA glmS, which encodes glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN6P) synthase. Although the two sRNAs are highly similar, only GlmZ is a direct activator that base-pairs with the glmS mRNA, aided by protein Hfq. GlmY, however, does not bind Hfq and activates glmS indirectly by protecting GlmZ from RNA cleavage. This complex regulation feedback controls the levels of GlmS protein in response to its product, GlcN6P, a key metabolite in cell wall biosynthesis. Here, we reveal the molecular basis for the regulated turnover of GlmZ, identifying RapZ (RNase adaptor protein for sRNA GlmZ; formerly YhbJ) as a novel type of RNA-binding protein that recruits the major endoribonuclease RNase E to GlmZ. This involves direct interaction of RapZ with the catalytic domain of RNase E. GlmY binds RapZ through a secondary structure shared by both sRNAs and therefore acts by molecular mimicry as a specific decoy for RapZ. Thus, in analogy to regulated proteolysis, RapZ is an adaptor, and GlmY is an anti-adaptor in regulated turnover of a regulatory small RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Göpel
- Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
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20
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Hébrard M, Kröger C, Srikumar S, Colgan A, Händler K, Hinton JCD. sRNAs and the virulence of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. RNA Biol 2012; 9:437-45. [PMID: 22546935 PMCID: PMC3384567 DOI: 10.4161/rna.20480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The combination of genomics and high-throughput cDNA sequencing technologies has facilitated the identification of many small RNAs (sRNAs) that play a central role in the post-transcriptional gene regulation of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. To date, most of the functionally characterized sRNAs have been involved in the regulation of processes which are not directly linked to virulence. Just five sRNAs have been found to affect the ability of Salmonella to replicate within mammalian cells, but the precise regulatory mechanisms that are used by sRNAs to control Salmonella pathogenicity at the post-transcriptional level remain to be identified. It is anticipated that an improved understanding of sRNA biology will shed new light on the virulence of Salmonella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Hébrard
- Department of Microbiology, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Moyne Institute of Preventive Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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21
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Pernitzsch SR, Sharma CM. Transcriptome complexity and riboregulation in the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2012; 2:14. [PMID: 22919606 PMCID: PMC3417511 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2012.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2011] [Accepted: 02/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The Gram-negative Epsilonproteobacterium Helicobacter pylori is considered as one of the major human pathogens and many studies have focused on its virulence mechanisms as well as genomic diversity. In contrast, only very little is known about post-transcriptional regulation and small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) in this spiral-shaped microaerophilic bacterium. Considering the absence of the common RNA chaperone Hfq, which is a key-player in post-transcriptional regulation in enterobacteria, H. pylori was even regarded as an organism without riboregulation. However, analysis of the H. pylori primary transcriptome using RNA-seq revealed a very complex transcriptional output from its small genome. Furthermore, the identification of a wealth of sRNAs as well as massive antisense transcription indicates that H. pylori uses riboregulation for its gene expression control. The ongoing functional characterization of sRNAs along with the identification of associated RNA binding proteins will help to understand their potential roles in Helicobacter virulence and stress response. Moreover, research on riboregulation in H. pylori will provide new insights into its virulence mechanisms and will also help to shed light on post-transcriptional regulation in other Epsilonproteobacteria, including widespread and emerging pathogens such as Campylobacter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandy R Pernitzsch
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Würzburg Würzburg, Germany
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22
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Gerstle K, Klätschke K, Hahn U, Piganeau N. The small RNA RybA regulates key-genes in the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids under peroxide stress in E. coli. RNA Biol 2012; 9:458-68. [PMID: 22336764 DOI: 10.4161/rna.19065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In bacteria, adaptive response to external stimuli is often regulated by small RNAs (sRNAs). In Escherichia coli, the organism in which sRNAs have been best characterized so far, no function could be attributed to 40 out of 79 sRNAs. Here we decipher the function of RybA, one of these orphan sRNAs. RybA was discovered in 2001 by Wassarman et al. using comparative genomics. This sRNA is conserved between E. coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Klebsiella pneumoniae. We determined the expression pattern of RybA under different growth conditions and identified its exact 5' and 3' ends. Using microarray and Northern analysis we show that, under peroxide stress, the absence of RybA leads to an upregulation of key genes of the TyrR regulon involved in the metabolism of aromatic compounds including the aromatic amino acids. Although containing an open reading frame, which might have an independent function, RybA does not require translation for this activity and therefore acts at the RNA level. Furthermore we demonstrate that regulation requires the transcription regulator TyrR. The mechanism of activation of TyrR, probably the primary target of RybA, remains to be elucidated. The downregulation of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis might regulate the cellular concentration of chorismate and its availability for other downstream products like ubiquinone or enterobactin. While ubiquinone participates in the defense against oxidative stress in the cytoplasmic membrane, enterobactin is involved in iron import and is therefore detrimental under oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirstin Gerstle
- Department of Chemistry, Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hamburg University, Hamburg, Germany
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23
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From conformational chaos to robust regulation: the structure and function of the multi-enzyme RNA degradosome. Q Rev Biophys 2011; 45:105-45. [DOI: 10.1017/s003358351100014x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe RNA degradosome is a massive multi-enzyme assembly that occupies a nexus in RNA metabolism and post-transcriptional control of gene expression inEscherichia coliand many other bacteria. Powering RNA turnover and quality control, the degradosome serves also as a machine for processing structured RNA precursors during their maturation. The capacity to switch between destructive and processing modes involves cooperation between degradosome components and is analogous to the process of RNA surveillance in other domains of life. Recruitment of components and cellular compartmentalisation of the degradosome are mediated through small recognition domains that punctuate a natively unstructured segment within a scaffolding core. Dynamic in conformation, variable in composition and non-essential under certain laboratory conditions, the degradosome has nonetheless been maintained throughout the evolution of many bacterial species, due most likely to its diverse contributions in global cellular regulation. We describe the role of the degradosome and its components in RNA decay pathways inE. coli, and we broadly compare these pathways in other bacteria as well as archaea and eukaryotes. We discuss the modular architecture and molecular evolution of the degradosome, its roles in RNA degradation, processing and quality control surveillance, and how its activity is regulated by non-coding RNA. Parallels are drawn with analogous machinery in organisms from all life domains. Finally, we conjecture on roles of the degradosome as a regulatory hub for complex cellular processes.
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24
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Pichon C, du Merle L, Caliot ME, Trieu-Cuot P, Le Bouguénec C. An in silico model for identification of small RNAs in whole bacterial genomes: characterization of antisense RNAs in pathogenic Escherichia coli and Streptococcus agalactiae strains. Nucleic Acids Res 2011; 40:2846-61. [PMID: 22139924 PMCID: PMC3326304 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkr1141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Characterization of small non-coding ribonucleic acids (sRNA) among the large volume of data generated by high-throughput RNA-seq or tiling microarray analyses remains a challenge. Thus, there is still a need for accurate in silico prediction methods to identify sRNAs within a given bacterial species. After years of effort, dedicated software were developed based on comparative genomic analyses or mathematical/statistical models. Although these genomic analyses enabled sRNAs in intergenic regions to be efficiently identified, they all failed to predict antisense sRNA genes (asRNA), i.e. RNA genes located on the DNA strand complementary to that which encodes the protein. The statistical models enabled any genomic region to be analyzed theorically but not efficiently. We present a new model for in silico identification of sRNA and asRNA candidates within an entire bacterial genome. This model was successfully used to analyze the Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Streptococcus agalactiae. In both bacteria, numerous asRNAs are transcribed from the complementary strand of genes located in pathogenicity islands, strongly suggesting that these asRNAs are regulators of the virulence expression. In particular, we characterized an asRNA that acted as an enhancer-like regulator of the type 1 fimbriae production involved in the virulence of extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Pichon
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Biologie des Bactéries Pathogènes à Gram Positif, 25-28 Rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 Paris, France and CNRS, URA2172, F-75724 Paris, France
| | - Laurence du Merle
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Biologie des Bactéries Pathogènes à Gram Positif, 25-28 Rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 Paris, France and CNRS, URA2172, F-75724 Paris, France
| | - Marie Elise Caliot
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Biologie des Bactéries Pathogènes à Gram Positif, 25-28 Rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 Paris, France and CNRS, URA2172, F-75724 Paris, France
| | - Patrick Trieu-Cuot
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Biologie des Bactéries Pathogènes à Gram Positif, 25-28 Rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 Paris, France and CNRS, URA2172, F-75724 Paris, France
| | - Chantal Le Bouguénec
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Biologie des Bactéries Pathogènes à Gram Positif, 25-28 Rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 Paris, France and CNRS, URA2172, F-75724 Paris, France
- *To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +33 1 40 61 32 80; Fax: +33 1 40 61 36 40;
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25
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Bohn C, Rigoulay C, Chabelskaya S, Sharma CM, Marchais A, Skorski P, Borezée-Durant E, Barbet R, Jacquet E, Jacq A, Gautheret D, Felden B, Vogel J, Bouloc P. Experimental discovery of small RNAs in Staphylococcus aureus reveals a riboregulator of central metabolism. Nucleic Acids Res 2010; 38:6620-36. [PMID: 20511587 PMCID: PMC2965222 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkq462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Using an experimental approach, we investigated the RNome of the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus to identify 30 small RNAs (sRNAs) including 14 that are newly confirmed. Among the latter, 10 are encoded in intergenic regions, three are generated by premature transcription termination associated with riboswitch activities, and one is expressed from the complementary strand of a transposase gene. The expression of four sRNAs increases during the transition from exponential to stationary phase. We focused our study on RsaE, an sRNA that is highly conserved in the bacillales order and is deleterious when over-expressed. We show that RsaE interacts in vitro with the 5' region of opp3A mRNA, encoding an ABC transporter component, to prevent formation of the ribosomal initiation complex. A previous report showed that RsaE targets opp3B which is co-transcribed with opp3A. Thus, our results identify an unusual case of riboregulation where the same sRNA controls an operon mRNA by targeting two of its cistrons. A combination of biocomputational and transcriptional analyses revealed a remarkably coordinated RsaE-dependent downregulation of numerous metabolic enzymes involved in the citrate cycle and the folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism. As we observed that RsaE accumulates transiently in late exponential growth, we propose that RsaE functions to ensure a coordinate downregulation of the central metabolism when carbon sources become scarce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantal Bohn
- Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie, CNRS/UMR 8621, IFR115, Centre scientifique d'Orsay, Université Paris-Sud, bâtiment 400, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France
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26
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Laporte P, Satiat-Jeunemaître B, Velasco I, Csorba T, Van de Velde W, Campalans A, Burgyan J, Arevalo-Rodriguez M, Crespi M. A novel RNA-binding peptide regulates the establishment of the Medicago truncatula-Sinorhizobium meliloti nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2010; 62:24-38. [PMID: 20042020 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-313x.2009.04121.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Plants use a variety of small peptides for cell to cell communication during growth and development. Leguminous plants are characterized by their ability to develop nitrogen-fixing nodules via an interaction with symbiotic bacteria. During nodule organogenesis, several so-called nodulin genes are induced, including large families that encode small peptides. Using a three-hybrid approach in yeast cells, we identified two new small nodulins, MtSNARP1 and MtSNARP2 (for small nodulin acidic RNA-binding protein), which interact with the RNA of MtENOD40, an early induced nodulin gene showing conserved RNA secondary structures. The SNARPs are acidic peptides showing single-stranded RNA-binding activity in vitro and are encoded by a small gene family in Medicago truncatula. These peptides exhibit two new conserved motifs and a putative signal peptide that redirects a GFP fusion to the endoplasmic reticulum both in protoplasts and during symbiosis, suggesting they are secreted. MtSNARP2 is expressed in the differentiating region of the nodule together with several early nodulin genes. MtSNARP2 RNA interference (RNAi) transgenic roots showed aberrant early senescent nodules where differentiated bacteroids degenerate rapidly. Hence, a functional symbiotic interaction may be regulated by secreted RNA-binding peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Laporte
- Institut des Sciences du Végétal (ISV), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université PARIS XI, Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif sur Yvette, France
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27
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Said N, Rieder R, Hurwitz R, Deckert J, Urlaub H, Vogel J. In vivo expression and purification of aptamer-tagged small RNA regulators. Nucleic Acids Res 2009; 37:e133. [PMID: 19726584 PMCID: PMC2777422 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkp719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) are an emerging class of post-transcriptional regulators of bacterial gene expression. To study sRNAs and their potential protein interaction partners, it is desirable to purify sRNAs from cells in their native form. Here, we used RNA-based affinity chromatography to purify sRNAs following their expression as aptamer-tagged variants in vivo. To this end, we developed a family of plasmids to express sRNAs with any of three widely used aptamer sequences (MS2, boxB, eIF4A), and systematically tested how the aptamer tagging impacted on intracellular accumulation and target regulation of the Salmonella GcvB, InvR or RybB sRNAs. In addition, we successfully tagged the chromosomal rybB gene with MS2 to observe that RybB-MS2 is fully functional as an envelope stress-induced repressor of ompN mRNA following induction of sigmaE. We further demonstrate that the common sRNA-binding protein, Hfq, co-purifies with MS2-tagged sRNAs of Salmonella. The presented affinity purification strategy may facilitate the isolation of in vivo assembled sRNA–protein complexes in a wide range of bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelly Said
- RNA Biology Group, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
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28
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Dietrich M, Munke R, Gottschald M, Ziska E, Boettcher JP, Mollenkopf H, Friedrich A. The effect of hfq on global gene expression and virulence in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. FEBS J 2009; 276:5507-20. [PMID: 19691497 DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2009.07234.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Hfq is an RNA chaperone that functions as a pleiotropic regulator for RNA metabolism in bacteria. In several pathogenic bacteria, Hfq contributes indirectly to virulence by binding to riboregulators that modulate the stability or translation efficiency of RNA transcripts. To characterize the role of Hfq in the pathogenicity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, we generated an N. gonorrhoeae hfq mutant. Infectivity and global changes in gene expression caused by the hfq mutation in N. gonorrhoeae strain MS11 were analyzed. Transcriptional analysis using a custom-made N. gonorrhoeae microarray revealed that 369 ORFs were differentially regulated in the hfq mutant, MS11hfq, in comparison with the wild-type strain (202 were upregulated, and 167 were downregulated). The loss-of-function mutation in hfq led to pleiotropic phenotypic effects, including an altered bacterial growth rate and reduced adherence to epithelial cells. Twitching motility and microcolony formation were not affected. Hfq also appears to play a minor role in inducing the inflammatory response of infected human epithelial cells. Interleukin-8 production was slightly decreased, and activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase, a mitogen-activated protein kinase, was reduced in MS11hfq-infected epithelial cells in comparison with wild type-infected cells. However, activation of nuclear factor kappa B, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and p38 remained unchanged. The data presented suggest that Hfq plays an important role as a post-transcriptional regulator in N. gonorrhoeae strain MS11 but does not contribute significantly to its virulence in cell culture models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Dietrich
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
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29
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Abstract
Regulatory ncRNAs (non-coding RNAs) adjust bacterial physiology in response to environmental cues. ncRNAs can base-pair to mRNAs and change their translation efficiency and/or their stability, or they can bind to proteins and modulate their activity. ncRNAs have been discovered in several species throughout the bacterial kingdom. This review illustrates the diversity of physiological processes and molecular mechanisms where ncRNAs are key regulators.
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30
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Pichon C, Felden B. Small RNA gene identification and mRNA target predictions in bacteria. Bioinformatics 2008; 24:2807-13. [PMID: 18974076 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btn560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Bacterial small ribonucleic acids (sRNAs) that are not ribosomal and transfer or messenger RNAs were initially identified in the sixties, whereas their molecular functions are still under active investigation today. It is now widely accepted that most play central roles in gene expression regulation in response to environmental changes. Interestingly, some are also implicated in bacterial virulence. Functional studies revealed that a large subset of these sRNAs act by an antisense mechanism thanks to pairing interactions with dedicated mRNA targets, usually around their translation start sites, to modulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level. Some sRNAs modulate protein activity or mimic the structure of other macromolecules. In the last few years, in silico methods have been developed to detect more bacterial sRNAs. Among these, computational analyses of the bacterial genomes by comparative genomics have predicted the existence of a plethora of sRNAs, some that were confirmed to be expressed in vivo. The prediction accuracy of these computational tools is highly variable and can be perfectible. Here we review the computational studies that have contributed to detecting the sRNA gene and mRNA targets in bacteria and the methods for their experimental testing. In addition, the remaining challenges are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Pichon
- Unité Pathogénie Bactérienne des Muqueuses, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris, France
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