1
|
Jaworska K, Konarska J, Gomza P, Rożen P, Nieckarz M, Krawczyk-Balska A, Brzostek K, Raczkowska A. Interplay between the RNA Chaperone Hfq, Small RNAs and Transcriptional Regulator OmpR Modulates Iron Homeostasis in the Enteropathogen Yersinia enterocolitica. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11157. [PMID: 37446335 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron is both essential for and potentially toxic to bacteria, so the precise maintenance of iron homeostasis is necessary for their survival. Our previous study indicated that in the human enteropathogen Yersinia enterocolitica, the regulator OmpR directly controls the transcription of the fur, fecA and fepA genes, encoding the ferric uptake repressor and two transporters of ferric siderophores, respectively. This study was undertaken to determine the significance of the RNA chaperone Hfq and the small RNAs OmrA and RyhB1 in the post-transcriptional control of the expression of these OmpR targets. We show that Hfq silences fur, fecA and fepA expression post-transcriptionally and negatively affects the production of FLAG-tagged Fur, FecA and FepA proteins. In addition, we found that the fur gene is under the negative control of the sRNA RyhB1, while fecA and fepA are negatively regulated by the sRNA OmrA. Finally, our data revealed that the role of OmrA results from a complex interplay of transcriptional and post-transcriptional effects in the feedback circuit between the regulator OmpR and the sRNA OmrA. Thus, the expression of fur, fecA and fepA is subject to complex transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in order to maintain iron homeostasis in Y. enterocolitica.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Jaworska
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Julia Konarska
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Patrycja Gomza
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paula Rożen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marta Nieckarz
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agata Krawczyk-Balska
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Brzostek
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Adrianna Raczkowska
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu L, Liu W, He Y, Liu Y, Wu H, Zhang Y, Zhang Q. Transcriptional Regulation of hmsB, A Temperature-Dependent Small RNA, by RovM in Yersinia pestis Biovar Microtus. Curr Microbiol 2023; 80:182. [PMID: 37046126 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03293-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
HmsB, a temperature-dependent sRNA, promotes biofilm formation by Yersinia pestis, but whether its own expression is regulated by other regulators is still poorly understood. RovM is a global regulator that activates biofilm formation but represses the virulence of Y. pestis. In this work, the results of primer extension, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and LacZ fusion demonstrated that RovM was able to activate hmsB expression. However, the results of electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed that His-RovM did not bind to the upstream DNA region of hmsB. Thus, RovM may exert its regulatory action on hmsB expression in an indirect manner. The data presented here enriched the content of the regulatory circuits that control gene expression in Y. pestis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Liu
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, General Hospital of Central Theater Command of the PLA, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Wanbing Liu
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, General Hospital of Central Theater Command of the PLA, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Yingyu He
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, General Hospital of Central Theater Command of the PLA, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, General Hospital of Central Theater Command of the PLA, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Haisheng Wu
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, 811602, China
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, 811602, China.
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Qinwen Zhang
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, 811602, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang Y, Teng Y, Geng J, Long J, Yang H, Duan G, Chen S. Involvement of RNA chaperone Hfq in the regulation of antibiotic resistance and virulence in Shigella sonnei. Res Microbiol 2023:104047. [PMID: 36868486 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2023.104047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
The host factor for RNA phage Qβ replicase (Hfq) is a crucial post-transcriptional regulator in many bacterial pathogens, facilitating the interaction between small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) and their target mRNAs. Studies have suggested that Hfq plays a role in antibiotic resistance and virulence in bacteria, although its functions in Shigella are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the functional roles of Hfq in Shigella sonnei (S. sonnei) by constructing an hfq deletion mutant. Our phenotypic assays showed that the hfq deletion mutant was more sensitivity to antibiotics and had impaired virulence. Transcriptome analyses supported the results concerning the phenotype of the hfq mutant and showed that differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in the KEGG pathways two-component system, ABC transporters, ribosome, and Escherichia coli biofilm formation. Additionally, we predicted eleven novel Hfq-dependent sRNAs, which were potentially involved in the regulation of antibiotic resistance and/or virulence in S. sonnei. Our findings suggest that Hfq plays a post-transcriptional role in regulating antibiotic resistance and virulence in S. sonnei, and could provide a basis for future studies on Hfq-sRNA-mRNA regulatory networks in this important pathogen.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ya Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanli Teng
- Henan Province Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Juan Geng
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jinzhao Long
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Haiyan Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Guangcai Duan
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shuaiyin Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lê-Bury P, Druart K, Savin C, Lechat P, Mas Fiol G, Matondo M, Bécavin C, Dussurget O, Pizarro-Cerdá J. Yersiniomics, a Multi-Omics Interactive Database for Yersinia Species. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0382622. [PMID: 36847572 PMCID: PMC10100798 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03826-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Yersinia includes a large variety of nonpathogenic and life-threatening pathogenic bacteria, which cause a broad spectrum of diseases in humans and animals, such as plague, enteritis, Far East scarlet-like fever (FESLF), and enteric redmouth disease. Like most clinically relevant microorganisms, Yersinia spp. are currently subjected to intense multi-omics investigations whose numbers have increased extensively in recent years, generating massive amounts of data useful for diagnostic and therapeutic developments. The lack of a simple and centralized way to exploit these data led us to design Yersiniomics, a web-based platform allowing straightforward analysis of Yersinia omics data. Yersiniomics contains a curated multi-omics database at its core, gathering 200 genomic, 317 transcriptomic, and 62 proteomic data sets for Yersinia species. It integrates genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic browsers, a genome viewer, and a heatmap viewer to navigate within genomes and experimental conditions. For streamlined access to structural and functional properties, it directly links each gene to GenBank, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), UniProt, InterPro, IntAct, and the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) and each experiment to Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA), or the Proteomics Identifications Database (PRIDE). Yersiniomics provides a powerful tool for microbiologists to assist with investigations ranging from specific gene studies to systems biology studies. IMPORTANCE The expanding genus Yersinia is composed of multiple nonpathogenic species and a few pathogenic species, including the deadly etiologic agent of plague, Yersinia pestis. In 2 decades, the number of genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic studies on Yersinia grew massively, delivering a wealth of data. We developed Yersiniomics, an interactive web-based platform, to centralize and analyze omics data sets on Yersinia species. The platform allows user-friendly navigation between genomic data, expression data, and experimental conditions. Yersiniomics will be a valuable tool to microbiologists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Lê-Bury
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Yersinia Research Unit, Paris, France
| | - Karen Druart
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS USR2000, Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, Proteomic Platform, Paris, France
| | - Cyril Savin
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Yersinia Research Unit, Paris, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Yersinia National Reference Laboratory, WHO Collaborating Research & Reference Centre for Plague FRA-140, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Lechat
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, ALPS, Bioinformatic Hub, Paris, France
| | - Guillem Mas Fiol
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Yersinia Research Unit, Paris, France
| | - Mariette Matondo
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS USR2000, Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, Proteomic Platform, Paris, France
| | | | - Olivier Dussurget
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Yersinia Research Unit, Paris, France
| | - Javier Pizarro-Cerdá
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Yersinia Research Unit, Paris, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Yersinia National Reference Laboratory, WHO Collaborating Research & Reference Centre for Plague FRA-140, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Briones AC, Lorca D, Cofre A, Cabezas CE, Krüger GI, Pardo-Esté C, Baquedano MS, Salinas CR, Espinoza M, Castro-Severyn J, Remonsellez F, Hidalgo AA, Morales EH, Saavedra CP. Genetic regulation of the ompX porin of Salmonella Typhimurium in response to hydrogen peroxide stress. Biol Res 2022; 55:8. [PMID: 35193678 PMCID: PMC8862304 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-022-00377-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Salmonella Typhimurium is a Gram-negative pathogen that causes a systemic disease in mice resembling typhoid fever. During its infective cycle, S. Typhimurium is phagocytized by macrophages and proliferates inside a Salmonella-containing vacuole where Salmonella is exposed and survives oxidative stress induced by H2O2 through modulation of gene expression. After exposure of Salmonella to H2O2, the expression of the porin-encoding gene ompX increases, as previously shown by microarray analysis. Expression of ompX mRNA is regulated at a post-transcriptional level by MicA and CyaR sRNAs in aerobiosis. In addition, sequence analysis predicts a site for OxyS sRNA in ompX mRNA. Results In this work we sought to evaluate the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of ompX under H2O2 stress. We demonstrate that ompX expression is induced at the transcriptional level in S. Typhimurium under such conditions. Unexpectedly, an increase in ompX gene transcript and promoter activity after challenges with H2O2 does not translate into increased protein levels in the wild-type strain, suggesting that ompX mRNA is also regulated at a post-transcriptional level, at least under oxidative stress. In silico gene sequence analysis predicted that sRNAs CyaR, MicA, and OxyS could regulate ompX mRNA levels. Using rifampicin to inhibit mRNA expression, we show that the sRNAs (MicA, CyaR and OxyS) and the sRNA:mRNA chaperone Hfq positively modulate ompX mRNA levels under H2O2-induced stress in Salmonella during the exponential growth phase in Lennox broth. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that ompX mRNA is regulated in response to H2O2 by the sRNAs CyaR, MicA and OxyS is Salmonella Typhimurium. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40659-022-00377-3.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A C Briones
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - D Lorca
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - A Cofre
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - C E Cabezas
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - G I Krüger
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - C Pardo-Esté
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - M S Baquedano
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - C R Salinas
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - M Espinoza
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - J Castro-Severyn
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada Y Extremófilos, Facultad de Ingeniería Y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica 83 del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - F Remonsellez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada Y Extremófilos, Facultad de Ingeniería Y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica 83 del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile.,Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en El Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - A A Hidalgo
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis and Antimicrobials, Escuela de Química Y Farmacia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - E H Morales
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - C P Saavedra
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ménard G, Rouillon A, Cattoir V, Donnio PY. Galleria mellonella as a Suitable Model of Bacterial Infection: Past, Present and Future. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:782733. [PMID: 35004350 PMCID: PMC8727906 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.782733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing interest for Galleria mellonella larvae as an infection model is evidenced by the number of papers reporting its use, which increases exponentially since the early 2010s. This popularity was initially linked to limitation of conventional animal models due to financial, technical and ethical aspects. In comparison, alternative models (e.g. models using Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster or G. mellonella) were cheap, simple to use and not limited by ethical regulation. Since then, similar results have been established with G. mellonella model comparatively to vertebrates, and it is more and more often used as a robust model per se, not only as an alternative to the murine model. This review attempts to summarize the current knowledge supporting the development of this model, both on immunological and microbiological aspects. For that, we focus on investigation of virulence and new therapies for the most important pathogenic bacteria. We also discuss points out directions for standardization, as well as recent advances and new perspectives for monitoring host-pathogen interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Ménard
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, INSERM, Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine (BRM), service de Bactériologie Hygiène-Hospitalière (SB2H), UMR_S 1230, Rennes, France
| | - Astrid Rouillon
- Univ Rennes, INSERM, Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine (BRM), UMR_S 1230, Rennes, France
| | - Vincent Cattoir
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, INSERM, Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine (BRM), service de Bactériologie Hygiène-Hospitalière (SB2H), UMR_S 1230, Rennes, France
| | - Pierre-Yves Donnio
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, INSERM, Bacterial Regulatory RNAs and Medicine (BRM), service de Bactériologie Hygiène-Hospitalière (SB2H), UMR_S 1230, Rennes, France
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Nakashima Y, Shiiyama N, Urabe T, Yamashita H, Yasuda S, Igoshi K, Kinoshita H. Functions of small RNAs in Lactobacillus casei-Pediococcus group of lactic acid bacteria using fragment analysis. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2021; 367:5928547. [PMID: 33068404 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnaa154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Small RNAs (sRNA) are non-cording RNAs composed of 50∼400 nt responsible for coordinating the adaption of Escherichia coli and other bacteria to changing environmental conditions, including pH and temperature. However, the role of sRNAs in lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has not yet been clarified. In this study, we used the Lactobacillus casei-Pediococcus group to evaluate the function of sRNAs in LAB, using RNA sequencing in the exponential growth phase and stationary phase to map and analyze sRNA fragments, which were categorized as Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lactobacillus paracasei. We evaluated the role of sRNAs in nutrient synthesis for cell growth in exponential growth phase and in protein and biofilm biosynthesis for cell body durability. During exponential growth, the sRNA fragments were found to be involved in the stress response in Pediococcus pentosaceus and in environmental adaption in Lactobacillus paracasei. The results suggest that the function of sRNA can be characterized from sRNA fragments using RNA sequencing during the exponential growth and stationary phases in Lactobacillus casei-Pediococcus group.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Nakashima
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Narumi Shiiyama
- Department of Bioscience, School of Agriculture, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Taihei Urabe
- Department of Bioscience, School of Agriculture, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Hideji Yamashita
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, Japan.,Department of Bioscience, School of Agriculture, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Shin Yasuda
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, Japan.,Department of Bioscience, School of Agriculture, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Keiji Igoshi
- Department of Bioscience, School of Agriculture, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Hideki Kinoshita
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, Japan.,Department of Bioscience, School of Agriculture, Tokai University, 9-1-1 Toroku, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Paulson AR, O’Callaghan M, Zhang XX, Rainey PB, Hurst MRH. In vivo transcriptome analysis provides insights into host-dependent expression of virulence factors by Yersinia entomophaga MH96, during infection of Galleria mellonella. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2021; 11:jkaa024. [PMID: 33561230 PMCID: PMC7849909 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkaa024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The function of microbes can be inferred from knowledge of genes specifically expressed in natural environments. Here, we report the in vivo transcriptome of the entomopathogenic bacterium Yersinia entomophaga MH96, captured during initial, septicemic, and pre-cadaveric stages of intrahemocoelic infection in Galleria mellonella. A total of 1285 genes were significantly upregulated by MH96 during infection; 829 genes responded to in vivo conditions during at least one stage of infection, 289 responded during two stages of infection, and 167 transcripts responded throughout all three stages of infection compared to in vitro conditions at equivalent cell densities. Genes upregulated during the earliest infection stage included components of the insecticidal toxin complex Yen-TC (chi1, chi2, and yenC1), genes for rearrangement hotspot element containing protein yenC3, cytolethal distending toxin cdtAB, and vegetative insecticidal toxin vip2. Genes more highly expressed throughout the infection cycle included the putative heat-stable enterotoxin yenT and three adhesins (usher-chaperone fimbria, filamentous hemagglutinin, and an AidA-like secreted adhesin). Clustering and functional enrichment of gene expression data also revealed expression of genes encoding type III and VI secretion system-associated effectors. Together these data provide insight into the pathobiology of MH96 and serve as an important resource supporting efforts to identify novel insecticidal agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amber R Paulson
- Forage Science, AgResearch Ltd., Lincoln 8140, New Zealand
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | | | - Xue-Xian Zhang
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand
| | - Paul B Rainey
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand
- Laboratoire de Génétique de l’Evolution CBI, ESPCI Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Paris 75005, France
- Department of Microbial Population Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Mark R H Hurst
- Forage Science, AgResearch Ltd., Lincoln 8140, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Samuels DS, Lybecker MC, Yang XF, Ouyang Z, Bourret TJ, Boyle WK, Stevenson B, Drecktrah D, Caimano MJ. Gene Regulation and Transcriptomics. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2020; 42:223-266. [PMID: 33300497 DOI: 10.21775/cimb.042.223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi, along with closely related species, is the etiologic agent of Lyme disease. The spirochete subsists in an enzootic cycle that encompasses acquisition from a vertebrate host to a tick vector and transmission from a tick vector to a vertebrate host. To adapt to its environment and persist in each phase of its enzootic cycle, B. burgdorferi wields three systems to regulate the expression of genes: the RpoN-RpoS alternative sigma factor cascade, the Hk1/Rrp1 two-component system and its product c-di-GMP, and the stringent response mediated by RelBbu and DksA. These regulatory systems respond to enzootic phase-specific signals and are controlled or fine- tuned by transcription factors, including BosR and BadR, as well as small RNAs, including DsrABb and Bb6S RNA. In addition, several other DNA-binding and RNA-binding proteins have been identified, although their functions have not all been defined. Global changes in gene expression revealed by high-throughput transcriptomic studies have elucidated various regulons, albeit technical obstacles have mostly limited this experimental approach to cultivated spirochetes. Regardless, we know that the spirochete, which carries a relatively small genome, regulates the expression of a considerable number of genes required for the transitions between the tick vector and the vertebrate host as well as the adaptation to each.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Scott Samuels
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Meghan C Lybecker
- Department of Biology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, USA
| | - X Frank Yang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Zhiming Ouyang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Travis J Bourret
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68105 USA
| | - William K Boyle
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68105 USA
| | - Brian Stevenson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky School of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Dan Drecktrah
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Melissa J Caimano
- Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Molecular Biology and Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Gao X, Wang M, Liu Z, Bi Y, Song Y, Yang R, Han Y. Altered Yersinia pestis virulence is associated with the small regulatory RNA HmsA encoded on the plasmid pPCP1. Future Microbiol 2020; 15:1207-1215. [PMID: 33026884 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2019-0319] [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: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study was to access the effect of HmsA, a 65-nt small regulatory RNA encoded by the pPCP1 plasmid, on Yersinia pestis virulence. Materials & methods: Survival and the competition index were determined in mice infected with wild-type Y. pestis and an hmsA deletion mutant. RNA-seq was used to identify HmsA-regulated genes. Results: HmsA deletion enhanced Y. pestis virulence. However, there was no overlap between 18 upregulated genes associated with pathogenicity and potential direct HmsA targets, based on gene expression screening after HmsA-pulse overexpression. Conclusion: HmsA inhibits Y. pestis virulence, but this effect may be mediated by indirect effects on pathogenesis, iron homeostasis and/or other cellular processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen & Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology & Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China.,Microbiology Laboratory, Jiading Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Shanghai 201800, China
| | - Min Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen & Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology & Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Zizhong Liu
- China Astronaut Research & Training Center, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Yujing Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen & Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology & Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yajun Song
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen & Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology & Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen & Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology & Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yanping Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen & Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology & Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
He P, Cai X, Chen K, Fu X. Identification of small RNAs involved in nitrogen fixation in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 based on RNA-seq under steady state conditions. ANN MICROBIOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1186/s13213-020-01557-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose
Anabaena sp. PCC7120 is a genetically tractable model organism for nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis research. The importance of small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) as mediators of a number of cellular processes in bacteria has begun to be recognized. Bacterial sRNA binds to target genes through base pairing, and play a regulatory role. Many studies have shown that bacterial sRNA can regulate cell stress response, carbon and nitrogen fixation, and so on. However, little is known about sRNAs in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 regarded to nitrogen fixation under later steady state.
Methods
To provide a comprehensive study of sRNAs in this model organism, the sRNA (< 200 nt) extracted from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 under nitrogen step-down treatment of 12 days, together with the sRNA from the control, was analyzed using deep RNA sequencing. Possible target genes regulated by all identified putative sRNAs were predicted by IntaRNA and further analyzed for functional categorizations for biological pathways.
Result
Totally, 14,132 transcripts were produced from the de novo assembly. Among them, transcripts that are located either in the intergenic region or antisense strand were kept, which resulted in 1219 sRNA candidates, for further analysis. RPKM-based differential expression analysis showed that 418 sRNAs were significantly differentially expressed between the samples from control (nitrogen addition, N+) and nitrogen depletion, (N−). Among them, 303 sRNAs were significantly upregulated, whereas 115 sRNAs were significantly downregulated. RT-PCR of 18 randomly chosen sRNAs showed a similar pattern as RNA-seq result, which confirmed the reliability of the RNA-seq data. In addition, the possible target genes regulated by unique sRNAs of Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 under nitrogen addition (N+) condition or that under nitrogen depletion (N−) condition were analyzed for functional categorization and biological pathways, which provided the evidences that sRNAs were indeed involved in many different metabolic pathways.
Conclusion
The information from the present study provides a valuable reference for understanding the sRNA-mediated regulation of the nitrogen fixation in Anabaena PCC 7120 under steady state conditions.
Collapse
|
12
|
Drecktrah D, Hall LS, Brinkworth AJ, Comstock JR, Wassarman KM, Samuels DS. Characterization of 6S RNA in the Lyme disease spirochete. Mol Microbiol 2020; 113:399-417. [PMID: 31742773 PMCID: PMC7047579 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
6S RNA binds to RNA polymerase and regulates gene expression, contributing to bacterial adaptation to environmental stresses. In this study, we examined the role of 6S RNA in murine infectivity and tick persistence of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi. B. burgdorferi 6S RNA (Bb6S RNA) binds to RNA polymerase, is expressed independent of growth phase or nutrient stress in culture, and is processed by RNase Y. We found that rny (bb0504), the gene encoding RNase Y, is essential for B. burgdorferi growth, while ssrS, the gene encoding 6S RNA, is not essential, indicating a broader role for RNase Y activity in the spirochete. Bb6S RNA regulates expression of the ospC and dbpA genes encoding outer surface protein C and decorin binding protein A, respectively, which are lipoproteins important for host infection. The highest levels of Bb6S RNA are found when the spirochete resides in unfed nymphs. ssrS mutants lacking Bb6S RNA were compromised for infectivity by needle inoculation, but injected mice seroconverted, indicating an ability to activate the adaptive immune response. ssrS mutants were successfully acquired by larval ticks and persisted through fed nymphs. Bb6S RNA is one of the first regulatory RNAs identified in B. burgdorferi that controls the expression of lipoproteins involved in host infectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Drecktrah
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Laura S. Hall
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | | | | | - Karen M. Wassarman
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - D. Scott Samuels
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Abstract
Hfq is a ubiquitous Sm-like RNA-binding protein in bacteria involved in physiological fitness and pathogenesis, while its in vivo binding nature remains elusive. Here we reported genome-wide Hfq-bound RNAs in Yersinia pestis, a causative agent of plague, by using cross-linking immunoprecipitation coupled with deep sequencing (CLIP-seq) approach. We show that the Hfq binding density is enriched in more than 80% mRNAs of Y. pestis and that Hfq also globally binds noncoding small RNAs (sRNAs) encoded by the intergenic, antisense, and 3' regions of mRNAs. An Hfq U-rich stretch is highly enriched in sRNAs, while motifs partially complementary to AGAAUAA and GGGGAUUA are enriched in both mRNAs and sRNAs. Hfq-binding motifs are enriched at both terminal sites and in the gene body of mRNAs. Surprisingly, a large fraction of the sRNA and mRNA regions bound by Hfq and those downstream are destabilized, likely via a 5'P-activated RNase E degradation pathway, which is consistent with a model in which Hfq facilitates sRNA-mRNA base pairing and the coupled degradation in Y. pestis These results together have presented a high-quality Hfq-RNA interaction map in Y. pestis, which should be important for further deciphering the regulatory role of Hfq-sRNAs in Y. pestis IMPORTANCE Discovered in 1968 as an Escherichia coli host factor that was essential for replication of the bacteriophage Qβ, the Hfq protein is a ubiquitous and highly abundant RNA-binding protein in many bacteria. With the assistance of Hfq, small RNAs in bacteria play important roles in regulating the stability and translation of mRNAs by base pairing. In this study, we want to elucidate the Hfq-assisted sRNA-mRNA regulation in Yersinia pestis A global map of Hfq interaction sites in Y. pestis was obtained by sequencing cDNAs converted from the Hfq-bound RNA fragments using UV cross-linking coupled immunoprecipitation technology. We demonstrate that Hfq could bind to hundreds of sRNAs and the majority of mRNAs in Y. pestis The enriched binding motifs in sRNAs and mRNAs are complementary to each other, suggesting a general base-pairing mechanism for sRNA-mRNA interaction. The Hfq-bound sRNA and mRNA regions were both destabilized. The results suggest that Hfq binding facilitates sRNA-mRNA base pairing and coordinates their degradation, which might enable Hfq to surveil the homeostasis of most mRNAs in bacteria.
Collapse
|
14
|
Comparative Transcriptomic Profiling of Yersinia enterocolitica O:3 and O:8 Reveals Major Expression Differences of Fitness- and Virulence-Relevant Genes Indicating Ecological Separation. mSystems 2019; 4:mSystems00239-18. [PMID: 31020044 PMCID: PMC6478967 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00239-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Yersinia enterocolitica is a major diarrheal pathogen and is associated with a large range of gut-associated diseases. Members of this species have evolved into different phylogroups with genotypic variations. We performed the first characterization of the Y. enterocolitica transcriptional landscape and tracked the consequences of the genomic variations between two different pathogenic phylogroups by comparing their RNA repertoire, promoter usage, and expression profiles under four different virulence-relevant conditions. Our analysis revealed major differences in the transcriptional outputs of the closely related strains, pointing to an ecological separation in which one is more adapted to an environmental lifestyle and the other to a mostly mammal-associated lifestyle. Moreover, a variety of pathoadaptive alterations, including alterations in acid resistance genes, colonization factors, and toxins, were identified which affect virulence and host specificity. This illustrates that comparative transcriptomics is an excellent approach to discover differences in the functional output from closely related genomes affecting niche adaptation and virulence, which cannot be directly inferred from DNA sequences. Yersinia enterocolitica is a zoonotic pathogen and an important cause of bacterial gastrointestinal infections in humans. Large-scale population genomic analyses revealed genetic and phenotypic diversity of this bacterial species, but little is known about the differences in the transcriptome organization, small RNA (sRNA) repertoire, and transcriptional output. Here, we present the first comparative high-resolution transcriptome analysis of Y. enterocolitica strains representing highly pathogenic phylogroup 2 (serotype O:8) and moderately pathogenic phylogroup 3 (serotype O:3) grown under four infection-relevant conditions. Our transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) approach revealed 1,299 and 1,076 transcriptional start sites and identified strain-specific sRNAs that could contribute to differential regulation among the phylogroups. Comparative transcriptomics further uncovered major gene expression differences, in particular, in the temperature-responsive regulon. Multiple virulence-relevant genes are differentially regulated between the two strains, supporting an ecological separation of phylogroups with certain niche-adapted properties. Strong upregulation of the ystA enterotoxin gene in combination with constitutive high expression of cell invasion factor InvA further showed that the toxicity of recent outbreak O:3 strains has increased. Overall, our report provides new insights into the specific transcriptome organization of phylogroups 2 and 3 and reveals gene expression differences contributing to the substantial phenotypic differences that exist between the lineages. IMPORTANCEYersinia enterocolitica is a major diarrheal pathogen and is associated with a large range of gut-associated diseases. Members of this species have evolved into different phylogroups with genotypic variations. We performed the first characterization of the Y. enterocolitica transcriptional landscape and tracked the consequences of the genomic variations between two different pathogenic phylogroups by comparing their RNA repertoire, promoter usage, and expression profiles under four different virulence-relevant conditions. Our analysis revealed major differences in the transcriptional outputs of the closely related strains, pointing to an ecological separation in which one is more adapted to an environmental lifestyle and the other to a mostly mammal-associated lifestyle. Moreover, a variety of pathoadaptive alterations, including alterations in acid resistance genes, colonization factors, and toxins, were identified which affect virulence and host specificity. This illustrates that comparative transcriptomics is an excellent approach to discover differences in the functional output from closely related genomes affecting niche adaptation and virulence, which cannot be directly inferred from DNA sequences.
Collapse
|
15
|
Chatterjee R, Shreenivas MM, Sunil R, Chakravortty D. Enteropathogens: Tuning Their Gene Expression for Hassle-Free Survival. Front Microbiol 2019; 9:3303. [PMID: 30687282 PMCID: PMC6338047 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Enteropathogenic bacteria have been the cause of the majority of foodborne illnesses. Much of the research has been focused on elucidating the mechanisms by which these pathogens evade the host immune system. One of the ways in which they achieve the successful establishment of a niche in the gut microenvironment and survive is by a chain of elegantly regulated gene expression patterns. Studies have shown that this process is very elaborate and is also regulated by several factors. Pathogens like, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), Salmonella Typhimurium, Shigellaflexneri, Yersinia sp. have been seen to employ various regulated gene expression strategies. These include toxin-antitoxin systems, quorum sensing systems, expression controlled by nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs), several regulons and operons specific to these pathogens. In the following review, we have tried to discuss the common gene regulatory systems of enteropathogenic bacteria as well as pathogen-specific regulatory mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ritika Chatterjee
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India.,Division of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
| | - Meghanashree M Shreenivas
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India.,Division of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India.,Undergraduate Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
| | - Rohith Sunil
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India.,Division of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India.,Undergraduate Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
| | - Dipshikha Chakravortty
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India.,Division of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India.,Centre for Biosystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Du HH, Zhou HZ, Tang P, Huang HQ, Liu M, Hu YH. Global discovery of small RNAs in the fish pathogen Edwardsiella piscicida: key regulator of adversity and pathogenicity. Vet Res 2018; 49:120. [PMID: 30537995 PMCID: PMC6288947 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-018-0613-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, bacterial small RNA (sRNA) has been shown to be involved as a key regulator in stress responses. sRNAs of Edwardsiella piscicida, an important aquatic pathogen, are not well characterized to date. In this study, using RNA-seq technology, we globally found and identified sRNA candidates expressed from E. piscicida grown in normal LB medium, acid pressure, iron deficiency stress, and oxidation pressure. A total of 148 sRNAs were found, including 19 previously annotated sRNAs and 129 novel sRNA candidates by searching against the Rfam database. Compared in normal condition, the expression of 103 sRNAs (DEsRNA, differentially expressed sRNA) and 1615 mRNAs (DEmRNAs, differentially expressed mRNA) showed significant differences in three stress sample. Based on the prediction by IntaRNA and relational analysis between DEsRNAs and DEmRNAs, 103 DEsRNAs were predicted to regulate 769 target mRNAs. Pleiotropic function of target DEmRNAs indicated that sRNAs extensively participated in a variety of physiological processes, including response to adversity and pathogenicity, the latter was further confirmed by infection experiment. A large number transcription factors appeared in target genes of sRNAs, which suggested that sRNAs likely deeply interlaced within complex gene regulatory networks of E. piscicida. Moreover, 49 Hfq-associated sRNAs were also identified in this study. In summary, we globally discovered sRNAs for the first time in pathogenic bacteria of fish, and our findings indicated that sRNAs in E. piscicida have important roles in adaptation to environmental stress and pathogenicity. These results also provide clues for deciphering regulation mechanism of gene expression related to physiological response and pathogenicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- He-He Du
- Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops of Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.,Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Functional Components Research and Utilization of Marine Bio-resources, Haikou, 571101, China
| | - Hai-Zhen Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ping Tang
- Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650200, China
| | - Hui-Qin Huang
- Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops of Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.,Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Functional Components Research and Utilization of Marine Bio-resources, Haikou, 571101, China
| | - Min Liu
- Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops of Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China. .,Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Functional Components Research and Utilization of Marine Bio-resources, Haikou, 571101, China.
| | - Yong-Hua Hu
- Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops of Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China. .,Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China. .,Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Functional Components Research and Utilization of Marine Bio-resources, Haikou, 571101, China.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Knittel V, Vollmer I, Volk M, Dersch P. Discovering RNA-Based Regulatory Systems for Yersinia Virulence. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:378. [PMID: 30460205 PMCID: PMC6232918 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Yersinia includes three human pathogenic species, Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of the bubonic and pneumonic plague, and enteric pathogens Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis that cause a number of gut-associated diseases. Over the past years a large repertoire of RNA-based regulatory systems has been discovered in these pathogens using different RNA-seq based approaches. Among them are several conserved or species-specific RNA-binding proteins, regulatory and sensory RNAs as well as various RNA-degrading enzymes. Many of them were shown to control the expression of important virulence-relevant factors and have a very strong impact on Yersinia virulence. The precise targets, the molecular mechanism and their role for Yersinia pathogenicity is only known for a small subset of identified genus- or species-specific RNA-based control elements. However, the ongoing development of new RNA-seq based methods and data analysis methods to investigate the synthesis, composition, translation, decay, and modification of RNAs in the bacterial cell will help us to generate a more comprehensive view of Yersinia RNA biology in the near future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Knittel
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ines Vollmer
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marcel Volk
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Petra Dersch
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Wassarman KM. 6S RNA, a Global Regulator of Transcription. Microbiol Spectr 2018; 6:10.1128/microbiolspec.RWR-0019-2018. [PMID: 29916345 PMCID: PMC6013841 DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.rwr-0019-2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
6S RNA is a small RNA regulator of RNA polymerase (RNAP) that is present broadly throughout the bacterial kingdom. Initial functional studies in Escherichia coli revealed that 6S RNA forms a complex with RNAP resulting in regulation of transcription, and cells lacking 6S RNA have altered survival phenotypes. The last decade has focused on deepening the understanding of several aspects of 6S RNA activity, including (i) addressing questions of how broadly conserved 6S RNAs are in diverse organisms through continued identification and initial characterization of divergent 6S RNAs; (ii) the nature of the 6S RNA-RNAP interaction through examination of variant proteins and mutant RNAs, cross-linking approaches, and ultimately a cryo-electron microscopic structure; (iii) the physiological consequences of 6S RNA function through identification of the 6S RNA regulon and promoter features that determine 6S RNA sensitivity; and (iv) the mechanism and cellular impact of 6S RNA-directed synthesis of product RNAs (i.e., pRNA synthesis). Much has been learned about this unusual RNA, its mechanism of action, and how it is regulated; yet much still remains to be investigated, especially regarding potential differences in behavior of 6S RNAs in diverse bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen M Wassarman
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53562
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Chen X, Wang J, Yue W, Liu J, Wang C. Hepatopancreas transcriptome analysis of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) with white hepatopancreas syndrome. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 70:302-307. [PMID: 28860074 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2017.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Revised: 08/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
White hepatopancreas is a syndrome that has recently emerged in aquaculture of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). High lethality of the disease caused large economic loss, which drew considerable attention of fish farmers and scientific researchers. In this study, hepatopancreas reference transcriptome was de novo assembled and differential expression analysis was conducted between white hepatopancreas and normal (yellow) hepatopancreas of E. sinensis. A total of 90,687 transcripts were assembled, and 27,387 were annotated. Transcriptomic comparison revealed 69 differentially expressed genes between individuals featuring white hepatopancreas and yellow hepatopancreas. Genes associated with immune response and cell death, include thioredoxin-related transmembrane protein 1, hemocytin, methuselah-like 1, and E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase, and they were up-regulated, whereas titin and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate cyclo-ligase, which are genes related to cell proliferation, were down-regulated in E. sinensis with white hepatopancreas syndrome. Our study provides novel insights into genetic causes of formation and novel gene markers for detection of white hepatopancreas syndrome in aquaculture of E. sinensis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Wucheng Yue
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Jinsheng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Chenghui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai, 201306, China.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Radka CD, Chen D, DeLucas LJ, Aller SG. The crystal structure of the Yersinia pestis iron chaperone YiuA reveals a basic triad binding motif for the chelated metal. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2017; 73:921-939. [PMID: 29095164 PMCID: PMC5683015 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798317015236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological chelating molecules called siderophores are used to sequester iron and maintain its ferric state. Bacterial substrate-binding proteins (SBPs) bind iron-siderophore complexes and deliver these complexes to ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters for import into the cytoplasm, where the iron can be transferred from the siderophore to catalytic enzymes. In Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, the Yersinia iron-uptake (Yiu) ABC transporter has been shown to improve iron acquisition under iron-chelated conditions. The Yiu transporter has been proposed to be an iron-siderophore transporter; however, the precise siderophore substrate is unknown. Therefore, the precise role of the Yiu transporter in Y. pestis survival remains uncharacterized. To better understand the function of the Yiu transporter, the crystal structure of YiuA (YPO1310/y2875), an SBP which functions to present the iron-siderophore substrate to the transporter for import into the cytoplasm, was determined. The 2.20 and 1.77 Å resolution X-ray crystal structures reveal a basic triad binding motif at the YiuA canonical substrate-binding site, indicative of a metal-chelate binding site. Structural alignment and computational docking studies support the function of YiuA in binding chelated metal. Additionally, YiuA contains two mobile helices, helix 5 and helix 10, that undergo 2-3 Å shifts across crystal forms and demonstrate structural breathing of the c-clamp architecture. The flexibility in both c-clamp lobes suggest that YiuA substrate transfer resembles the Venus flytrap mechanism that has been proposed for other SBPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D. Radka
- Graduate Biomedical Sciences Microbiology Theme, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Dongquan Chen
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Lawrence J. DeLucas
- Office of the Provost, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Stephen G. Aller
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
|
22
|
Álvarez-Fraga L, Rumbo-Feal S, Pérez A, Gómez MJ, Gayoso C, Vallejo JA, Ohneck EJ, Valle J, Actis LA, Beceiro A, Bou G, Poza M. Global assessment of small RNAs reveals a non-coding transcript involved in biofilm formation and attachment in Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 17978. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182084. [PMID: 28763494 PMCID: PMC5538643 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Many strains of Acinetobacter baumannii have been described as being able to form biofilm. Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) control gene expression in many regulatory circuits in bacteria. The aim of the present work was to provide a global description of the sRNAs produced both by planktonic and biofilm-associated (sessile) cells of A. baumannii ATCC 17978, and to compare the corresponding gene expression profiles to identify sRNAs molecules associated to biofilm formation and virulence. sRNA was extracted from both planktonic and sessile cells and reverse transcribed. cDNA was subjected to 454-pyrosequencing using the GS-FLX Titanium chemistry. The global analysis of the small RNA transcriptome revealed different sRNA expression patterns in planktonic and biofilm associated cells, with some of the transcripts only expressed or repressed in sessile bacteria. A total of 255 sRNAs were detected, with 185 of them differentially expressed in the different types of cells. A total of 9 sRNAs were expressed only in biofilm cells, while the expression of other 21 coding regions were repressed only in biofilm cells. Strikingly, the expression level of the sRNA 13573 was 120 times higher in biofilms than in planktonic cells, an observation that prompted us to further investigate the biological role of this non-coding transcript. Analyses of an isogenic mutant and over-expressing strains revealed that the sRNA 13573 gene is involved in biofilm formation and attachment to A549 human alveolar epithelial cells. The present work serves as a basis for future studies examining the complex regulatory network that regulate biofilm biogenesis and attachment to eukaryotic cells in A. baumannii ATCC 17978.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Álvarez-Fraga
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica (INIBIC), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Soraya Rumbo-Feal
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica (INIBIC), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Astrid Pérez
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica (INIBIC), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Manuel J. Gómez
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Center for Astrobiology, INTA-CSIC, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Gayoso
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica (INIBIC), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Juan A. Vallejo
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica (INIBIC), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Emily J. Ohneck
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Jaione Valle
- Departamento de Biofilms Microbianos, Instituto de Agrobiotecnología, Navarra, Spain
| | - Luis A. Actis
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Alejandro Beceiro
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica (INIBIC), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Germán Bou
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica (INIBIC), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain
- * E-mail: (GB); (MP)
| | - Margarita Poza
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica (INIBIC), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain
- * E-mail: (GB); (MP)
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Adams PP, Flores Avile C, Popitsch N, Bilusic I, Schroeder R, Lybecker M, Jewett MW. In vivo expression technology and 5' end mapping of the Borrelia burgdorferi transcriptome identify novel RNAs expressed during mammalian infection. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:775-792. [PMID: 27913725 PMCID: PMC5314773 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw1180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Revised: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterial pathogen responsible for Lyme disease, modulates its gene expression profile in response to the environments encountered throughout its tick-mammal infectious cycle. To begin to characterize the B. burgdorferi transcriptome during murine infection, we previously employed an in vivo expression technology-based approach (BbIVET). This identified 233 putative promoters, many of which mapped to un-annotated regions of the complex, segmented genome. Herein, we globally identify the 5' end transcriptome of B. burgdorferi grown in culture as a means to validate non-ORF associated promoters discovered through BbIVET. We demonstrate that 119 BbIVET promoters are associated with transcription start sites (TSSs) and validate novel RNA transcripts using Northern blots and luciferase promoter fusions. Strikingly, 49% of BbIVET promoters were not found to associate with TSSs. This finding suggests that these sequences may be primarily active in the mammalian host. Furthermore, characterization of the 6042 B. burgdorferi TSSs reveals a variety of RNAs including numerous antisense and intragenic transcripts, leaderless RNAs, long untranslated regions and a unique nucleotide frequency for initiating intragenic transcription. Collectively, this is the first comprehensive map of TSSs in B. burgdorferi and characterization of previously un-annotated RNA transcripts expressed by the spirochete during murine infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip P Adams
- Division of Immunity and Pathogenesis, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL 32827, USA
| | - Carlos Flores Avile
- Division of Immunity and Pathogenesis, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL 32827, USA
| | - Niko Popitsch
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Ivana Bilusic
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Renée Schroeder
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Meghan Lybecker
- Department of Biology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, USA
| | - Mollie W Jewett
- Division of Immunity and Pathogenesis, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL 32827, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Leskinen K, Pajunen MI, Varjosalo M, Fernández-Carrasco H, Bengoechea JA, Skurnik M. Several Hfq-dependent alterations in physiology of Yersinia enterocolitica O:3 are mediated by derepression of the transcriptional regulator RovM. Mol Microbiol 2017; 103:1065-1091. [PMID: 28010054 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In bacteria, the RNA chaperone Hfq enables pairing of small regulatory RNAs with their target mRNAs and therefore is a key player of post-transcriptional regulation network. As a global regulator, Hfq is engaged in the adaptation to external environment, regulation of metabolism and bacterial virulence. In this study we used RNA-sequencing and quantitative proteomics (LC-MS/MS) to elucidate the role of this chaperone in the physiology and virulence of Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:3. This global approach revealed the profound impact of Hfq on gene and protein expression. Furthermore, the role of Hfq in the cell morphology, metabolism, cell wall integrity, resistance to external stresses and pathogenicity was evaluated. Importantly, our results revealed that several alterations typical for the hfq-negative phenotype were due to derepression of the transcriptional factor RovM. The overexpression of RovM caused by the loss of Hfq chaperone resulted in extended growth defect, alterations in the lipid A structure, motility and biofilm formation defects, as well as changes in mannitol utilization. Furthermore, in Y. enterocolitica RovM only in the presence of Hfq affected the abundance of RpoS. Finally, the impact of hfq and rovM mutations on the virulence was assessed in the mouse infection model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Leskinen
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Medicum, Research Programs Unit, Immunobiology, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maria I Pajunen
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Medicum, Research Programs Unit, Immunobiology, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Markku Varjosalo
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki.,Biocentrum Helsinki, Finland: Finnish Institute of Molecular Medicine, Finland
| | | | - José A Bengoechea
- Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Mikael Skurnik
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Medicum, Research Programs Unit, Immunobiology, University of Helsinki, Finland.,Division of Clinical Microbiology, Helsinki University Hospital, HUSLAB, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Li N, Hennelly SP, Stubben CJ, Micheva-Viteva S, Hu B, Shou Y, Vuyisich M, Tung CS, Chain PS, Sanbonmatsu KY, Hong-Geller E. Functional and Structural Analysis of a Highly-Expressed Yersinia pestis Small RNA following Infection of Cultured Macrophages. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168915. [PMID: 28030576 PMCID: PMC5193452 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-coding small RNAs (sRNAs) are found in practically all bacterial genomes and play important roles in regulating gene expression to impact bacterial metabolism, growth, and virulence. We performed transcriptomics analysis to identify sRNAs that are differentially expressed in Yersinia pestis that invaded the human macrophage cell line THP-1, compared to pathogens that remained extracellular in the presence of host. Using ultra high-throughput sequencing, we identified 37 novel and 143 previously known sRNAs in Y. pestis. In particular, the sRNA Ysr170 was highly expressed in intracellular Yersinia and exhibited a log2 fold change ~3.6 higher levels compared to extracellular bacteria. We found that knock-down of Ysr170 expression attenuated infection efficiency in cell culture and growth rate in response to different stressors. In addition, we applied selective 2’-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) analysis to determine the secondary structure of Ysr170 and observed structural changes resulting from interactions with the aminoglycoside antibiotic gentamycin and the RNA chaperone Hfq. Interestingly, gentamicin stabilized helix 4 of Ysr170, which structurally resembles the native gentamicin 16S ribosomal binding site. Finally, we modeled the tertiary structure of Ysr170 binding to gentamycin using RNA motif modeling. Integration of these experimental and structural methods can provide further insight into the design of small molecules that can inhibit function of sRNAs required for pathogen virulence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Li
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Scott P. Hennelly
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Chris J. Stubben
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Sofiya Micheva-Viteva
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Bin Hu
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Yulin Shou
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Momchilo Vuyisich
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Chang-Shung Tung
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Patrick S. Chain
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Karissa Y. Sanbonmatsu
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Hong-Geller
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Nuss AM, Heroven AK, Dersch P. RNA Regulators: Formidable Modulators of Yersinia Virulence. Trends Microbiol 2016; 25:19-34. [PMID: 27651123 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2016.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2016] [Revised: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
A large repertoire of RNA-based regulatory mechanisms, including a plethora of cis- and trans-acting noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), sensory RNA elements, regulatory RNA-binding proteins, and RNA-degrading enzymes have been uncovered lately as key players in the regulation of metabolism, stress responses, and virulence of the genus Yersinia. Many of them are strictly controlled in response to fluctuating environmental conditions sensed during the course of the infection, and certain riboregulators have already been shown to be crucial for virulence. Some of them are highly conserved among the family Enterobacteriaceae, while others are genus-, species-, or strain-specific and could contribute to the difference in Yersinia pathogenicity. Importantly, the analysis of Yersinia riboregulators has not only uncovered crucial elements and regulatory mechanisms governing host-pathogen interactions, it also revealed exciting new venues for the design of novel anti-infectives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M Nuss
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ann Kathrin Heroven
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Petra Dersch
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Liu Z, Gao X, Wang H, Fang H, Yan Y, Liu L, Chen R, Zhou D, Yang R, Han Y. Plasmid pPCP1-derived sRNA HmsA promotes biofilm formation of Yersinia pestis. BMC Microbiol 2016; 16:176. [PMID: 27492011 PMCID: PMC4973556 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-016-0793-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The ability of Yersinia pestis to form a biofilm is an important characteristic in flea transmission of this pathogen. Y. pestis laterally acquired two plasmids (pPCP1and pMT1) and the ability to form biofilms when it evolved from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are thought to play a crucial role in the processes of biofilm formation and pathogenesis. Results A pPCP1-derived sRNA HmsA (also known as sR084) was found to contribute to the enhanced biofilm formation phenotype of Y. pestis. The concentration of c-di-GMP was significantly reduced upon deletion of the hmsA gene in Y. pestis. The abundance of mRNA transcripts determining exopolysaccharide production, crucial for biofilm formation, was measured by primer extension, RT-PCR and lacZ transcriptional fusion assays in the wild-type and hmsA mutant strains. HmsA positively regulated biofilm synthesis-associated genes (hmsHFRS, hmsT and hmsCDE), but had no regulatory effect on the biofilm degradation-associated gene hmsP. Interestingly, the recently identified biofilm activator sRNA, HmsB, was rapidly degraded in the hmsA deletion mutant. Two genes (rovM and rovA) functioning as biofilm regulators were also found to be regulated by HmsA, whose regulatory effects were consistent with the HmsA-mediated biofilm phenotype. Conclusion HmsA potentially functions as an activator of biofilm formation in Y. pestis, implying that sRNAs encoded on the laterally acquired plasmids might be involved in the chromosome-based regulatory networks implicated in Y. pestis-specific physiological processes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12866-016-0793-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zizhong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.,State Key Lab of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Xiaofang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.,Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, China
| | - Hongduo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.,College of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
| | - Haihong Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Yanfeng Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Lei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Rong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.,The General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Yanping Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Mao Y, Yang X, Liu Y, Yan Y, Du Z, Han Y, Song Y, Zhou L, Cui Y, Yang R. Reannotation of Yersinia pestis Strain 91001 Based on Omics Data. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016; 95:562-70. [PMID: 27382076 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis is among the most dangerous human pathogens, and systematic research of this pathogen is important in bacterial pathogenomics research. To fully interpret the biological functions, physiological characteristics, and pathogenesis of Y. pestis, a comprehensive annotation of its entire genome is necessary. The emergence of omics-based research has brought new opportunities to better annotate the genome of this pathogen. Here, the complete genome of Y. pestis strain 91001 was reannotated using genomics and proteogenomics data. One hundred and thirty-seven unreliable coding sequences were removed, and 41 homologous genes were relocated with their translational initiation sites, while the functions of seven pseudogenes and 392 hypothetical genes were revised. Moreover, annotations of noncoding RNAs, repeat sequences, and transposable elements have also been incorporated. The reannotated results are freely available at http://tody.bmi.ac.cn.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiqing Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, People's Republic of China. Center of Information Technology, Beijing Institute of Health and Medical Information, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianwei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Biotechnology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanfeng Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zongmin Du
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanping Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yajun Song
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yujun Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Guilhen C, Charbonnel N, Parisot N, Gueguen N, Iltis A, Forestier C, Balestrino D. Transcriptional profiling of Klebsiella pneumoniae defines signatures for planktonic, sessile and biofilm-dispersed cells. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:237. [PMID: 26979871 PMCID: PMC4791964 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-2557-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Surface-associated communities of bacteria, known as biofilms, play a critical role in the persistence and dissemination of bacteria in various environments. Biofilm development is a sequential dynamic process from an initial bacterial adhesion to a three-dimensional structure formation, and a subsequent bacterial dispersion. Transitions between these different modes of growth are governed by complex and partially known molecular pathways. Results Using RNA-seq technology, our work provided an exhaustive overview of the transcriptomic behavior of the opportunistic pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae derived from free-living, biofilm and biofilm-dispersed states. For each of these conditions, the combined use of Z-scores and principal component analysis provided a clear illustration of distinct expression profiles. In particular, biofilm-dispersed cells appeared as a unique stage in the bacteria lifecycle, different from both planktonic and sessile states. The K-means cluster analysis showed clusters of Coding DNA Sequences (CDS) and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) genes differentially transcribed between conditions. Most of them included dominant functional classes, emphasizing the transcriptional changes occurring in the course of K. pneumoniae lifestyle transitions. Furthermore, analysis of the whole transcriptome allowed the selection of an overall of 40 transcriptional signature genes for the five bacterial physiological states. Conclusions This transcriptional study provides additional clues to understand the key molecular mechanisms involved in the transition between biofilm and the free-living lifestyles, which represents an important challenge to control both beneficial and harmful biofilm. Moreover, this exhaustive study identified physiological state specific transcriptomic reference dataset useful for the research community. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2557-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Guilhen
- Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome Environnement, UMR CNRS 6023, Université d'Auvergne, Clermont Ferrand, F-63001, France
| | - Nicolas Charbonnel
- Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome Environnement, UMR CNRS 6023, Université d'Auvergne, Clermont Ferrand, F-63001, France
| | - Nicolas Parisot
- UMR 203 BF2I, Biologie Fonctionnelle Insectes et Interactions, INRA, INSA de Lyon, Université de Lyon, F-69621, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Nathalie Gueguen
- Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome Environnement, UMR CNRS 6023, Université d'Auvergne, Clermont Ferrand, F-63001, France
| | - Agnès Iltis
- Genostar, Montbonnot Saint Martin, F-38330, France
| | - Christiane Forestier
- Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome Environnement, UMR CNRS 6023, Université d'Auvergne, Clermont Ferrand, F-63001, France
| | - Damien Balestrino
- Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome Environnement, UMR CNRS 6023, Université d'Auvergne, Clermont Ferrand, F-63001, France.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Chen S, Thompson KM, Francis MS. Environmental Regulation of Yersinia Pathophysiology. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2016; 6:25. [PMID: 26973818 PMCID: PMC4773443 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2016.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Hallmarks of Yersinia pathogenesis include the ability to form biofilms on surfaces, the ability to establish close contact with eukaryotic target cells and the ability to hijack eukaryotic cell signaling and take over control of strategic cellular processes. Many of these virulence traits are already well-described. However, of equal importance is knowledge of both confined and global regulatory networks that collaborate together to dictate spatial and temporal control of virulence gene expression. This review has the purpose to incorporate historical observations with new discoveries to provide molecular insight into how some of these regulatory mechanisms respond rapidly to environmental flux to govern tight control of virulence gene expression by pathogenic Yersinia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shiyun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan, China
| | - Karl M Thompson
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Howard University Washington, DC, USA
| | - Matthew S Francis
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå UniversityUmeå, Sweden; Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå UniversityUmeå, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Ellis MJ, Haniford DB. Riboregulation of bacterial and archaeal transposition. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2016; 7:382-98. [DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Ellis
- Department of Biochemistry; University of Western Ontario; London Canada
| | - David B. Haniford
- Department of Biochemistry; University of Western Ontario; London Canada
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Abstract
Y. pestis exhibits dramatically different traits of pathogenicity and transmission, albeit their close genetic relationship with its ancestor-Y. pseudotuberculosis, a self-limiting gastroenteric pathogen. Y. pestis is evolved into a deadly pathogen and transmitted to mammals and/or human beings by infected flea biting or directly contacting with the infected animals. Various kinds of environmental changes are implicated into its complex life cycle and pathogenesis. Dynamic regulation of gene expression is critical for environmental adaptation or survival, primarily reflected by genetic regulation mediated by transcriptional factors and small regulatory RNAs at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional level, respectively. The effects of genetic regulation have been shown to profoundly influence Y. pestis physiology and pathogenesis such as stress resistance, biofilm formation, intracellular survival, and replication. In this chapter, we mainly summarize the progresses on popular methods of genetic regulation and on regulatory patterns and consequences of many key transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulators, with a particular emphasis on how genetic regulation influences the biofilm and virulence of Y. pestis.
Collapse
|
33
|
Burenina OY, Elkina DA, Hartmann RK, Oretskaya TS, Kubareva EA. Small noncoding 6S RNAs of bacteria. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2015; 80:1429-46. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006297915110048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
34
|
Martínez-Chavarría LC, Vadyvaloo V. Yersinia pestis and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection: a regulatory RNA perspective. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:956. [PMID: 26441890 PMCID: PMC4585118 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, responsible for causing fulminant plague, has evolved clonally from the enteric pathogen, Y. pseudotuberculosis, which in contrast, causes a relatively benign enteric illness. An ~97% nucleotide identity over 75% of their shared protein coding genes is maintained between these two pathogens, leaving much conjecture regarding the molecular determinants responsible for producing these vastly different disease etiologies, host preferences and transmission routes. One idea is that coordinated production of distinct factors required for host adaptation and virulence in response to specific environmental cues could contribute to the distinct pathogenicity distinguishing these two species. Small non-coding RNAs that direct posttranscriptional regulation have recently been identified as key molecules that may provide such timeous expression of appropriate disease enabling factors. Here the burgeoning field of small non-coding regulatory RNAs in Yersinia pathogenesis is reviewed from the viewpoint of adaptive colonization, virulence and divergent evolution of these pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luary C Martínez-Chavarría
- Departamento de Patología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México Mexico
| | - Viveka Vadyvaloo
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Bruchmann S, Muthukumarasamy U, Pohl S, Preusse M, Bielecka A, Nicolai T, Hamann I, Hillert R, Kola A, Gastmeier P, Eckweiler D, Häussler S. Deep transcriptome profiling of clinicalKlebsiella pneumoniaeisolates reveals strain and sequence type-specific adaptation. Environ Microbiol 2015; 17:4690-710. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Bruchmann
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology; Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research; Braunschweig Germany
- Institute for Molecular Bacteriology; Twincore; Centre for Clinical and Experimental Infection Research; A Joint Venture of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School; Hannover Germany
| | - Uthayakumar Muthukumarasamy
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology; Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research; Braunschweig Germany
- Institute for Molecular Bacteriology; Twincore; Centre for Clinical and Experimental Infection Research; A Joint Venture of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School; Hannover Germany
| | - Sarah Pohl
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology; Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research; Braunschweig Germany
- Institute for Molecular Bacteriology; Twincore; Centre for Clinical and Experimental Infection Research; A Joint Venture of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School; Hannover Germany
| | - Matthias Preusse
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology; Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research; Braunschweig Germany
| | - Agata Bielecka
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology; Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research; Braunschweig Germany
- Institute for Molecular Bacteriology; Twincore; Centre for Clinical and Experimental Infection Research; A Joint Venture of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School; Hannover Germany
| | - Tanja Nicolai
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology; Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research; Braunschweig Germany
| | - Isabell Hamann
- Medizinisches Labor Ostsachsen; Mikrobiologie; Görlitz Germany
| | - Roger Hillert
- Medizinisches Labor Ostsachsen; Mikrobiologie; Görlitz Germany
| | - Axel Kola
- Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine; Charité University Medicine Berlin; Berlin Germany
| | - Petra Gastmeier
- Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine; Charité University Medicine Berlin; Berlin Germany
| | - Denitsa Eckweiler
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology; Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research; Braunschweig Germany
- Institute for Molecular Bacteriology; Twincore; Centre for Clinical and Experimental Infection Research; A Joint Venture of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School; Hannover Germany
| | - Susanne Häussler
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology; Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research; Braunschweig Germany
- Institute for Molecular Bacteriology; Twincore; Centre for Clinical and Experimental Infection Research; A Joint Venture of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School; Hannover Germany
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
sRNA-Mediated Regulation of P-Fimbriae Phase Variation in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1005109. [PMID: 26291711 PMCID: PMC4546395 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are capable of occupying physiologically distinct intracellular and extracellular niches within the urinary tract. This feat requires the timely regulation of gene expression and small RNAs (sRNAs) are known to mediate such rapid adjustments in response to changing environmental cues. This study aimed to uncover sRNA-mediated gene regulation in the UPEC strain UTI89, during infection of bladder epithelial cells. Hfq is an RNA chaperone known to facilitate and stabilize sRNA and target mRNA interactions with bacterial cells. The co-immunoprecipitation and high throughput RNA sequencing of Hfq bound sRNAs performed in this study, revealed distinct sRNA profiles in UPEC in the extracellular and intracellular environments. Our findings emphasize the importance of studying regulatory sRNAs in a biologically relevant niche. This strategy also led to the discovery of a novel virulence-associated trans-acting sRNA—PapR. Deletion of papR was found to enhance adhesion of UTI89 to both bladder and kidney cell lines in a manner independent of type-1 fimbriae. We demonstrate PapR mediated posttranscriptional repression of the P-fimbriae phase regulator gene papI and postulate a role for such regulation in fimbrial cross-talk at the population level in UPEC. Our results further implicate the Leucine responsive protein (LRP) as a transcriptional activator regulating PapR expression. Our study reports, for the first time, a role for sRNAs in regulation of P-fimbriae phase variation and emphasizes the importance of studying pathogenesis-specific sRNAs within a relevant biological niche. Recent years have seen an increasing emphasis placed on the role of small RNAs (sRNAs) in the regulation of bacterial gene expression and stress adaptation. The advent of high-throughput sequencing methods has now made it possible to directly monitor the appearance of potentially virulence-associated sRNAs that may contribute to rapid adaptation of the pathogen to a changing environment during infection. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are presumably exposed to a deluge of stimuli from epithelial cell contact, urine and host immune factors and we asked if any regulatory sRNAs would play a role in the transition of UPEC from the extracellular niche to the intracellular one. This study employs co-immunoprecipitation using the RNA chaperone Hfq to identify novel virulence-associated sRNAs in intracellular UPEC, followed by high-throughput RNA-seq. We report the identification of a novel sRNA that we designate PapR (P-fimbriae regulator) and elaborate on this discovery by demonstrating a role for PapR in regulation of P-fimbriae—a UPEC surface virulence factor. The results presented in this study offer new insights into the molecular mechanisms of UPEC pathogenesis and a role for sRNA mediated regulation of virulence factors.
Collapse
|
37
|
Ellis MJ, Trussler RS, Haniford DB. A cis-encoded sRNA, Hfq and mRNA secondary structure act independently to suppress IS200 transposition. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:6511-27. [PMID: 26044710 PMCID: PMC4513863 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 05/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
IS200 is found throughout Enterobacteriaceae and transposes at a notoriously low frequency. In addition to the transposase protein (TnpA), IS200 encodes an uncharacterized Hfq-binding sRNA that is encoded opposite to the tnpA 5'UTR. In the current work we asked if this sRNA represses tnpA expression. We show here that the IS200 sRNA (named art200 for antisense regulator of transposase IS200) basepairs with tnpA to inhibit translation initiation. Unexpectedly, art200-tnpA pairing is limited to 40 bp, despite 90 nt of perfect complementarity. Additionally, we show that Hfq and RNA secondary structure in the tnpA 5'UTR each repress tnpA expression in an art200-independent manner. Finally, we show that disrupting translational control of tnpA expression leads to increased IS200 transposition in E. coli. The current work provides new mechanistic insight into why IS200 transposition is so strongly suppressed. The possibility of art200 acting in trans to regulate a yet-unidentified target is discussed as well as potential applications of the IS200 system for designing novel riboregulators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Ellis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Ryan S Trussler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - David B Haniford
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Nuss AM, Heroven AK, Waldmann B, Reinkensmeier J, Jarek M, Beckstette M, Dersch P. Transcriptomic profiling of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis reveals reprogramming of the Crp regulon by temperature and uncovers Crp as a master regulator of small RNAs. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005087. [PMID: 25816203 PMCID: PMC4376681 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
One hallmark of pathogenic yersiniae is their ability to rapidly adjust their life-style and pathogenesis upon host entry. In order to capture the range, magnitude and complexity of the underlying gene control mechanisms we used comparative RNA-seq-based transcriptomic profiling of the enteric pathogen Y. pseudotuberculosis under environmental and infection-relevant conditions. We identified 1151 individual transcription start sites, multiple riboswitch-like RNA elements, and a global set of antisense RNAs and previously unrecognized trans-acting RNAs. Taking advantage of these data, we revealed a temperature-induced and growth phase-dependent reprogramming of a large set of catabolic/energy production genes and uncovered the existence of a thermo-regulated ‘acetate switch’, which appear to prime the bacteria for growth in the digestive tract. To elucidate the regulatory architecture linking nutritional status to virulence we also refined the CRP regulon. We identified a massive remodelling of the CRP-controlled network in response to temperature and discovered CRP as a transcriptional master regulator of numerous conserved and newly identified non-coding RNAs which participate in this process. This finding highlights a novel level of complexity of the regulatory network in which the concerted action of transcriptional regulators and multiple non-coding RNAs under control of CRP adjusts the control of Yersinia fitness and virulence to the requirements of their environmental and virulent life-styles. Many bacterial pathogens cycle between environmental sources and mammalian hosts. Adaptation to the different natural habitats and host niches is achieved through complex regulatory networks which adjust synthesis of the large repertoire of crucial virulence factors and fitness determinants. To uncover underlying control circuits, we determined the first in-depth single-nucleotide resolution transcriptome of Yersinia. This revealed important novel genetic information, such as global locations of transcriptional start sites, non-coding RNAs, potential riboswitches and provided a set of virulence-relevant expression profiles, which constitute a valuable tool for the research community. The analysis further uncovered a temperature-induced global reprogramming of central metabolic functions, likely to support intestinal colonization of the pathogen. This is accompanied by a major reorganization of the CRP regulon, which involves a multitude of regulatory RNAs. The primary consequence is a fine-tuned, coordinated control of metabolism and virulence through a plethora of environmentally controlled regulatory RNAs allowing rapid adaptation and high flexibility during life-style changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M. Nuss
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ann Kathrin Heroven
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Barbara Waldmann
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jan Reinkensmeier
- Faculty of Technology and Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Germany
| | - Michael Jarek
- Department of Genome Analytics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Beckstette
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Petra Dersch
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Deng Z, Liu Z, He J, Wang J, Yan Y, Wang X, Cui Y, Bi Y, Du Z, Song Y, Yang R, Han Y. TyrR, the regulator of aromatic amino acid metabolism, is required for mice infection of Yersinia pestis. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:110. [PMID: 25729381 PMCID: PMC4325908 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, poses a serious health threat to rodents and human beings. TyrR is a transcriptional regulator (TyrR) that controls the metabolism of aromatic amino acids in Escherichia coli. In this paper, TyrR played an important role in Y. pestis virulence. Inactivation of tyrR did not seem to affect the in vitro growth of this organism, but resulted in at least 10,000-fold attenuation compared with the wild-type (WT) strain upon subcutaneous infection to mice. In addition, loads of tyrR mutant within mice livers and spleens significantly decreased compared with the WT strain. Transcriptome analysis revealed that TyrR, directly or indirectly, regulated 29 genes encoded on Y. pestis chromosome or plasmids under in vitro growth condition. Similar to the regulatory function of this protein in E. coli, five aromatic-pathway genes (aroF-tyrA, aroP, aroL, and tyrP) were significantly reduced upon deletion of the tyrR gene. Two genes (glnL and glnG) that encode sensory histidine kinase and regulator in a two-component regulatory system involved in nitrogen assimilation were downregulated in the tyrR mutant. Several genes encoding type III secretion proteins were transcribed by 2.0–4.2-fold in a tyrR mutant relative to the WT strain. Interestingly, the acid-stressed genes, hdeB and hdeD, were downregulated, and such downregulation partly accounted for the decrease in tolerance of the tyrR mutant under acidic conditions. In conclusion, regulation of TyrR in Y. pestis is similar to, but distinct from, that in E. coli. TyrR is a metabolic virulence determinant in Y. pestis that is important for extracellular survival and/or proliferation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhongliang Deng
- Department of Sanitary Inspection, School of Public Health, University of South China Hengyang, China ; State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Zizhong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Junming He
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China ; Animal Husbandry Base Teaching and Research Section, College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei North University Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Yanfeng Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Yujun Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Yujing Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Zongmin Du
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Yajun Song
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Yanping Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Fang N, Qu S, Yang H, Fang H, Liu L, Zhang Y, Wang L, Han Y, Zhou D, Yang R. HmsB enhances biofilm formation in Yersinia pestis. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:685. [PMID: 25566205 PMCID: PMC4264472 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The hmsHFRS operon is responsible for biosynthesis and translocation of biofilm matrix exopolysaccharide. Yersinia pestis expresses the two sole diguanylate cyclases HmsT and HmsD and the sole phosphodiesterase HmsP, which are specific for biosynthesis and degradation, respectively, of 3′,5′-cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP), a second messenger promoting exopolysaccharide production. In this work, the phenotypic assays indicates that Y. pestis sRNA HmsB enhances the production of c-di-GMP, exopolysaccharide, and biofilm. Further gene regulation experiments disclose that HmsB stimulates the expression of hmsB, hmsCDE, hmsT, and hmsHFRS but represses that of hmsP. HmsB most likely acts as a major activator of biofilm formation in Y. pestis. This is the first report of regulation of Yersinia biofilm formation by a sRNA. Data presented here will promote us to gain a deeper understanding of the complex regulatory circuits controlling Yersinia biofilm formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Shi Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Huiying Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Haihong Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Lei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Yanping Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Ortega AD, Quereda JJ, Pucciarelli MG, García-del Portillo F. Non-coding RNA regulation in pathogenic bacteria located inside eukaryotic cells. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2014; 4:162. [PMID: 25429360 PMCID: PMC4228915 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular bacterial pathogens have evolved distinct lifestyles inside eukaryotic cells. Some pathogens coexist with the infected cell in an obligate intracellular state, whereas others transit between the extracellular and intracellular environment. Adaptation to these intracellular lifestyles is regulated in both space and time. Non-coding small RNAs (sRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulatory molecules that fine-tune important processes in bacterial physiology including cell envelope architecture, intermediate metabolism, bacterial communication, biofilm formation, and virulence. Recent studies have shown production of defined sRNA species by intracellular bacteria located inside eukaryotic cells. The molecules targeted by these sRNAs and their expression dynamics along the intracellular infection cycle remain, however, poorly characterized. Technical difficulties linked to the isolation of “intact” intracellular bacteria from infected host cells might explain why sRNA regulation in these specialized pathogens is still a largely unexplored field. Transition from the extracellular to the intracellular lifestyle provides an ideal scenario in which regulatory sRNAs are intended to participate; so much work must be done in this direction. This review focuses on sRNAs expressed by intracellular bacterial pathogens during the infection of eukaryotic cells, strategies used with these pathogens to identify sRNAs required for virulence, and the experimental technical challenges associated to this type of studies. We also discuss varied techniques for their potential application to study RNA regulation in intracellular bacterial infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro D Ortega
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC) Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan J Quereda
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC) Madrid, Spain
| | - M Graciela Pucciarelli
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC) Madrid, Spain ; Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' (CBMSO-CSIC) Madrid, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Heroven AK, Dersch P. Coregulation of host-adapted metabolism and virulence by pathogenic yersiniae. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2014; 4:146. [PMID: 25368845 PMCID: PMC4202721 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 09/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Deciphering the principles how pathogenic bacteria adapt their metabolism to a specific host microenvironment is critical for understanding bacterial pathogenesis. The enteric pathogenic Yersinia species Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Yersinia enterocolitica and the causative agent of plague, Yersinia pestis, are able to survive in a large variety of environmental reservoirs (e.g., soil, plants, insects) as well as warm-blooded animals (e.g., rodents, pigs, humans) with a particular preference for lymphatic tissues. In order to manage rapidly changing environmental conditions and interbacterial competition, Yersinia senses the nutritional composition during the course of an infection by special molecular devices, integrates this information and adapts its metabolism accordingly. In addition, nutrient availability has an impact on expression of virulence genes in response to C-sources, demonstrating a tight link between the pathogenicity of yersiniae and utilization of nutrients. Recent studies revealed that global regulatory factors such as the cAMP receptor protein (Crp) and the carbon storage regulator (Csr) system are part of a large network of transcriptional and posttranscriptional control strategies adjusting metabolic changes and virulence in response to temperature, ion and nutrient availability. Gained knowledge about the specific metabolic requirements and the correlation between metabolic and virulence gene expression that enable efficient host colonization led to the identification of new potential antimicrobial targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ann Kathrin Heroven
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Institut für Mikrobiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Petra Dersch
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Institut für Mikrobiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig Braunschweig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
The impact of "omic" and imaging technologies on assessing the host immune response to biodefence agents. J Immunol Res 2014; 2014:237043. [PMID: 25333059 PMCID: PMC4182007 DOI: 10.1155/2014/237043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Revised: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the interactions between host and pathogen is important for the development and assessment of medical countermeasures to infectious agents, including potential biodefence pathogens such as Bacillus anthracis, Ebola virus, and Francisella tularensis. This review focuses on technological advances which allow this interaction to be studied in much greater detail. Namely, the use of “omic” technologies (next generation sequencing, DNA, and protein microarrays) for dissecting the underlying host response to infection at the molecular level; optical imaging techniques (flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy) for assessing cellular responses to infection; and biophotonic imaging for visualising the infectious disease process. All of these technologies hold great promise for important breakthroughs in the rational development of vaccines and therapeutics for biodefence agents.
Collapse
|
44
|
Cavanagh AT, Wassarman KM. 6S RNA, a Global Regulator of Transcription inEscherichia coli,Bacillus subtilis, and Beyond. Annu Rev Microbiol 2014; 68:45-60. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-092611-150135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amy T. Cavanagh
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706;
| | - Karen M. Wassarman
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706;
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Papenfort K, Vogel J. Small RNA functions in carbon metabolism and virulence of enteric pathogens. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2014; 4:91. [PMID: 25077072 PMCID: PMC4098024 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Enteric pathogens often cycle between virulent and saprophytic lifestyles. To endure these frequent changes in nutrient availability and composition bacteria possess an arsenal of regulatory and metabolic genes allowing rapid adaptation and high flexibility. While numerous proteins have been characterized with regard to metabolic control in pathogenic bacteria, small non-coding RNAs have emerged as additional regulators of metabolism. Recent advances in sequencing technology have vastly increased the number of candidate regulatory RNAs and several of them have been found to act at the interface of bacterial metabolism and virulence factor expression. Importantly, studying these riboregulators has not only provided insight into their metabolic control functions but also revealed new mechanisms of post-transcriptional gene control. This review will focus on the recent advances in this area of host-microbe interaction and discuss how regulatory small RNAs may help coordinate metabolism and virulence of enteric pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Papenfort
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Jörg Vogel
- RNA Biology Group, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg Würzburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Identification of novel small RNAs and characterization of the 6S RNA of Coxiella burnetii. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100147. [PMID: 24949863 PMCID: PMC4064990 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2014] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes Q fever, undergoes a biphasic developmental cycle that alternates between a metabolically-active large cell variant (LCV) and a dormant small cell variant (SCV). As such, the bacterium undoubtedly employs complex modes of regulating its lifecycle, metabolism and pathogenesis. Small RNAs (sRNAs) have been shown to play important regulatory roles in controlling metabolism and virulence in several pathogenic bacteria. We hypothesize that sRNAs are involved in regulating growth and development of C. burnetii and its infection of host cells. To address the hypothesis and identify potential sRNAs, we subjected total RNA isolated from Coxiella cultured axenically and in Vero host cells to deep-sequencing. Using this approach, we identified fifteen novel C. burnetii sRNAs (CbSRs). Fourteen CbSRs were validated by Northern blotting. Most CbSRs showed differential expression, with increased levels in LCVs. Eight CbSRs were upregulated (≥2-fold) during intracellular growth as compared to growth in axenic medium. Along with the fifteen sRNAs, we also identified three sRNAs that have been previously described from other bacteria, including RNase P RNA, tmRNA and 6S RNA. The 6S regulatory sRNA of C. burnetii was found to accumulate over log phase-growth with a maximum level attained in the SCV stage. The 6S RNA-encoding gene (ssrS) was mapped to the 5′ UTR of ygfA; a highly conserved linkage in eubacteria. The predicted secondary structure of the 6S RNA possesses three highly conserved domains found in 6S RNAs of other eubacteria. We also demonstrate that Coxiella’s 6S RNA interacts with RNA polymerase (RNAP) in a specific manner. Finally, transcript levels of 6S RNA were found to be at much higher levels when Coxiella was grown in host cells relative to axenic culture, indicating a potential role in regulating the bacterium’s intracellular stress response by interacting with RNAP during transcription.
Collapse
|
47
|
Stubben CJ, Micheva-Viteva SN, Shou Y, Buddenborg SK, Dunbar JM, Hong-Geller E. Differential expression of small RNAs from Burkholderia thailandensis in response to varying environmental and stress conditions. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:385. [PMID: 24884623 PMCID: PMC4035088 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) regulate gene expression by base-pairing with downstream target mRNAs to attenuate translation of mRNA into protein at the post-transcriptional level. In response to specific environmental changes, sRNAs can modulate the expression levels of target genes, thus enabling adaptation of cellular physiology. RESULTS We profiled sRNA expression in the Gram-negative bacteria Burkholderia thailandensis cultured under 54 distinct growth conditions using a Burkholderia-specific microarray that contains probe sets to all intergenic regions greater than 90 bases. We identified 38 novel sRNAs and performed experimental validation on five sRNAs that play a role in adaptation of Burkholderia to cell stressors. In particular, the trans-encoded BTH_s1 and s39 exhibited differential expression profiles dependent on growth phase and cell stimuli, such as antibiotics and serum. Furthermore, knockdown of the highly-expressed BTH_s39 by antisense transcripts reduced B. thailandensis cell growth and attenuated host immune response upon infection, indicating that BTH_s39 functions in bacterial metabolism and adaptation to the host. In addition, expression of cis-encoded BTH_s13 and s19 found in the 5' untranslated regions of their cognate genes correlated with tight regulation of gene transcript levels. This sRNA-mediated downregulation of gene expression may be a conserved mechanism of post-transcriptional gene dosage control. CONCLUSIONS These studies provide a broad analysis of differential Burkholderia sRNA expression profiles and illustrate the complexity of bacterial gene regulation in response to different environmental stress conditions.
Collapse
|
48
|
Martínez LC, Vadyvaloo V. Mechanisms of post-transcriptional gene regulation in bacterial biofilms. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2014; 4:38. [PMID: 24724055 PMCID: PMC3971182 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2014] [Accepted: 03/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofilms are characterized by a dense multicellular community of microorganisms that can be formed by the attachment of bacteria to an inert surface and to each other. The development of biofilm involves the initial attachment of planktonic bacteria to a surface, followed by replication, cell-to-cell adhesion to form microcolonies, maturation, and detachment. Mature biofilms are embedded in a self-produced extracellular polymeric matrix composed primarily of bacterial-derived exopolysaccharides, specialized proteins, adhesins, and occasionally DNA. Because the synthesis and assembly of biofilm matrix components is an exceptionally complex process, the transition between its different phases requires the coordinate expression and simultaneous regulation of many genes by complex genetic networks involving all levels of gene regulation. The finely controlled intracellular level of the chemical second messenger molecule, cyclic-di-GMP is central to the post-transcriptional mechanisms governing the switch between the motile planktonic lifestyle and the sessile biofilm forming state in many bacteria. Several other post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms are known to dictate biofilm development and assembly and these include RNA-binding proteins, small non-coding RNAs, toxin-antitoxin systems, riboswitches, and RNases. Post-transcriptional regulation is therefore a powerful molecular mechanism employed by bacteria to rapidly adjust to the changing environment and to fine tune gene expression to the developmental needs of the cell. In this review, we discuss post-transcriptional mechanisms that influence the biofilm developmental cycle in a variety of pathogenic bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Viveka Vadyvaloo
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State UniversityPullman, WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Genome-wide analysis of small RNAs expressed by Yersinia pestis identifies a regulator of the Yop-Ysc type III secretion system. J Bacteriol 2014; 196:1659-70. [PMID: 24532772 DOI: 10.1128/jb.01456-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Small noncoding RNA (sRNA) molecules are integral components of the regulatory machinery for many bacterial species and are known to posttranscriptionally regulate metabolic and stress-response pathways, quorum sensing, virulence factors, and more. The Yop-Ysc type III secretion system (T3SS) is a critical virulence component for the pathogenic Yersinia species, and the regulation of this system is tightly controlled at each step from transcription to translocation of effectors into host cells. The contribution of sRNAs to the regulation of the T3SS in Yersinia has been largely unstudied, however. Previously, our lab identified a role for the sRNA chaperone protein Hfq in the regulation of components of the T3SS in the gastrointestinal pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Here we present data demonstrating a similar requirement for Hfq in the closely related species Yersinia pestis. Through deep sequencing analysis of the Y. pestis sRNA-ome, we found 63 previously unidentified putative sRNAs in this species. We identified a Yersinia-specific sRNA, Ysr141, carried by the T3SS plasmid pCD1 that is required for the production of multiple T3SS proteins. In addition, we show that Ysr141 targets an untranslated region upstream of yopJ to posttranscriptionally activate the synthesis of the YopJ protein. Furthermore, Ysr141 may be an unstable and/or processed sRNA, which could contribute to its function in the regulation of the T3SS. The discovery of an sRNA that influences the synthesis of the T3SS adds an additional layer of regulation to this tightly controlled virulence determinant of Y. pestis.
Collapse
|