sRNA
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyThe Small Toxic Salmonella Protein TimP Targets the Cytoplasmic Membrane and Is Repressed by the Small RNA TimRNext-generation sequencing (NGS) has enabled the revelation of a vast number of genomes from organisms spanning all domains of life. To reduce complexity when new genome sequences are annotated, open reading frames (ORFs) shorter than 50 codons in length are generally omitted. However, it has recently become evident that this procedure sorts away ORFs encoding small proteins of high biological significance. For instance, tailored small...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyCopy Number of an Integron-Encoded Antibiotic Resistance Locus Regulates a Virulence and Opacity Switch in Acinetobacter baumannii AB5075Acinetobacter baumannii remains a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. Widespread multidrug resistance in this species has prompted the WHO to name carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii as its top priority for research and development of new antibiotics. Many strains of...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyHfq and sRNA 179 Inhibit Expression of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa cAMP-Vfr and Type III Secretion RegulonsControl of gene expression by small noncoding RNA (sRNA) is well documented but underappreciated. Deep sequencing of mRNA preparations from Pseudomonas aeruginosa suggests that >500 sRNAs are generated. Few of those sRNAs have defined roles in gene expression. To address that knowledge gap, we constructed an sRNA expression library and identified sRNA 179 as a...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyChanges in Aphid Host Plant Diet Influence the Small-RNA Expression Profiles of Its Obligate Nutritional Symbiont, BuchneraIn general, the genomes of intracellular bacterial symbionts are reduced compared to those of free-living relatives and lack many key regulatory genes. Many of these reduced genomes belong to obligate mutualists of insects that feed on a diet that is deficient in essential nutrients, such as essential amino acids. It is unclear if these symbionts respond with their host to changes in insect diet, because of their reduced regulatory...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceA Central Small RNA Regulatory Circuit Controlling Bacterial Denitrification and N2O EmissionsN2O is an important greenhouse gas and a major cause of ozone depletion. Denitrifying bacteria play vital roles in the production and consumption of N2O in many environments. Complete denitrification consists of the conversion of a soluble N-oxyanion, nitrate (NO3-), to an inert gaseous N-oxide, dinitrogen (N2). Incomplete denitrification can occur if conditions are prohibitive, for...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyVibrio cholerae CsrA Directly Regulates varA To Increase Expression of the Three Nonredundant Csr Small RNAsVibrio cholerae is a major human pathogen, causing epidemics and pandemics of cholera. V. cholerae persists in the aquatic environment, providing a constant source for human infection. Success in transitioning from the environment to the human host and back requires the bacterium to rapidly respond...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Small RNA Teg41 Regulates Expression of the Alpha Phenol-Soluble Modulins and Is Required for Virulence in Staphylococcus aureusThe 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...
- Observation | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyBacterial Noncoding RNAs Excised from within Protein-Coding Transcripts
Bacteria and archaea utilize regulatory small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) to control the expression of specific genetic programs. These ncRNAs are almost exclusively encoded within intergenic regions and are independently transcribed. Here, we report on a large set ncRNAs that are “carved out” from within the protein-coding regions of Escherichia coli mRNAs by cellular...