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Song E, Han S, Hohng S, Kang C. Compatibility of termination mechanisms in bacterial transcription with inference on eukaryotic models. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:887-897. [PMID: 38533838 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Transcription termination has evolved to proceed through diverse mechanisms. For several classes of terminators, multiple models have been debatably proposed. Recent single-molecule studies on bacterial terminators have resolved several long-standing controversies. First, termination mode or outcome is twofold rather than single. RNA is released alone before DNA or together with DNA from RNA polymerase (RNAP), i.e. with RNA release for termination, RNAP retains on or dissociates off DNA, respectively. The concomitant release, described in textbooks, results in one-step decomposition of transcription complexes, and this 'decomposing termination' prevails at ρ factor-dependent terminators. Contrastingly, the sequential release was recently discovered abundantly from RNA hairpin-dependent intrinsic terminations. RNA-only release allows RNAP to diffuse on DNA in both directions and recycle for reinitiation. This 'recycling termination' enables one-dimensional reinitiation, which would be more expeditious than three-dimensional reinitiation by RNAP dissociated at decomposing termination. Second, while both recycling and decomposing terminations occur at a hairpin-dependent terminator, four termination mechanisms compatibly operate at a ρ-dependent terminator with ρ in alternative modes and even intrinsically without ρ. RNA-bound catch-up ρ mediates recycling termination first and decomposing termination later, while RNAP-prebound stand-by ρ invokes only decomposing termination slowly. Without ρ, decomposing termination occurs slightly and sluggishly. These four mechanisms operate on distinct timescales, providing orderly fail-safes. The stand-by mechanism is benefited by terminational pause prolongation and modulated by accompanying riboswitches more greatly than the catch-up mechanisms. Conclusively, any mechanism alone is insufficient to perfect termination, and multiple mechanisms operate compatibly to achieve maximum possible efficiency under separate controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunho Song
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Han
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungchul Hohng
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Changwon Kang
- Department of Biological Sciences, and KAIST Stem Cell Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
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Zhu Y, Ponath F, Cosi V, Vogel J. A global survey of small RNA interactors identifies KhpA and KhpB as major RNA-binding proteins in Fusobacterium nucleatum. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:3950-3970. [PMID: 38281181 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The common oral microbe Fusobacterium nucleatum has recently drawn attention after it was found to colonize tumors throughout the human body. Fusobacteria are also interesting study systems for bacterial RNA biology as these early-branching species encode many small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) but lack homologs of the common RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) CsrA, Hfq and ProQ. To search for alternate sRNA-associated RBPs in F. nucleatum, we performed a systematic mass spectrometry analysis of proteins that co-purified with 19 different sRNAs. This approach revealed strong enrichment of the KH domain proteins KhpA and KhpB with nearly all tested sRNAs, including the σE-dependent sRNA FoxI, a regulator of several envelope proteins. KhpA/B act as a dimer to bind sRNAs with low micromolar affinity and influence the stability of several of their target transcripts. Transcriptome studies combined with biochemical and genetic analyses suggest that KhpA/B have several physiological functions, including being required for ethanolamine utilization. Our RBP search and the discovery of KhpA/B as major RBPs in F. nucleatum are important first steps in identifying key players of post-transcriptional control at the root of the bacterial phylogenetic tree.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhu
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg D-97080, Germany
| | - Falk Ponath
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg D-97080, Germany
| | - Valentina Cosi
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg D-97080, Germany
| | - Jörg Vogel
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg D-97080, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
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3
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Vogt LN, Panis G, Schäpers A, Peschek N, Huber M, Papenfort K, Viollier PH, Fröhlich KS. Genome-wide profiling of Hfq-bound RNAs reveals the iron-responsive small RNA RusT in Caulobacter crescentus. mBio 2024; 15:e0315323. [PMID: 38511926 PMCID: PMC11005374 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03153-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The alphaproteobacterium Caulobacter crescentus thrives in oligotrophic environments and is able to optimally exploit minimal resources by entertaining an intricate network of gene expression control mechanisms. Numerous transcriptional activators and repressors have been reported to contribute to these processes, but only few studies have focused on regulation at the post-transcriptional level in C. crescentus. Small RNAs (sRNAs) are a prominent class of regulators of bacterial gene expression, and most sRNAs characterized today engage in direct base-pairing interactions to modulate the translation and/or stability of target mRNAs. In many cases, the ubiquitous RNA chaperone, Hfq, contributes to the establishment of RNA-RNA interactions. Although the deletion of the hfq gene is associated with a severe loss of fitness in C. crescentus, the RNA ligands of the chaperone have remained largely unexplored. Here we report on the identification of coding and non-coding transcripts associated with Hfq in C. crescentus and demonstrate Hfq-dependent post-transcriptional regulation in this organism. We show that the Hfq-bound sRNA RusT is transcriptionally controlled by the NtrYX two-component system and induced in response to iron starvation. By combining RusT pulse expression with whole-genome transcriptome analysis, we determine 16 candidate target transcripts that are deregulated, many of which encode outer membrane transporters. We hence suggest RusT to support remodeling of the C. crescentus cell surface when iron supplies are limited.IMPORTANCEThe conserved RNA-binding protein Hfq contributes significantly to the adaptation of bacteria to different environmental conditions. Hfq not only stabilizes associated sRNAs but also promotes inter-molecular base-pairing interactions with target transcripts. Hfq plays a pivotal role for growth and survival, controlling central metabolism and cell wall synthesis in the oligotroph Caulobacter crescentus. However, direct evidence for Hfq-dependent post-transcriptional regulation and potential oligotrophy in C. crescentus has been lacking. Here, we identified sRNAs and mRNAs associated with Hfq in vivo, and demonstrated the requirement of Hfq for sRNA-mediated regulation, particularly of outer membrane transporters in C. crescentus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N. Vogt
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Gaël Panis
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine/Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anna Schäpers
- Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Nikolai Peschek
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Michaela Huber
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Kai Papenfort
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Patrick H. Viollier
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine/Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kathrin S. Fröhlich
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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Ponath F, Zhu Y, Vogel J. Transcriptome fine-mapping in Fusobacterium nucleatum reveals FoxJ, a new σ E-dependent small RNA with unusual mRNA activation activity. mBio 2024; 15:e0353623. [PMID: 38436569 PMCID: PMC11005410 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03536-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The oral commensal Fusobacterium nucleatum can spread to extra-oral sites, where it is associated with diverse pathologies, including pre-term birth and cancer. Due to the evolutionary distance of F. nucleatum to other model bacteria, we lack a deeper understanding of the RNA regulatory networks that allow this bacterium to adapt to its various niches. As a first step in that direction, we recently showed that F. nucleatum harbors a global stress response governed by the extracytoplasmic function sigma factor, σE, which displays a striking functional conservation with Proteobacteria and includes a noncoding arm in the form of a regulatory small RNA (sRNA), FoxI. To search for putative additional σE-dependent sRNAs, we comprehensively mapped the 5' and 3' ends of transcripts in the model strain ATCC 23726. This enabled the discovery of FoxJ, a ~156-nucleotide sRNA previously misannotated as the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of ylmH. FoxJ is tightly controlled by σE and activated by the same stress conditions as is FoxI. Both sRNAs act as mRNA repressors of the abundant porin FomA, but FoxJ also regulates genes that are distinct from the target suite of FoxI. Moreover, FoxJ differs from other σE-dependent sRNAs in that it also positively regulates genes at the post-transcriptional level. We provide preliminary evidence for a new mode of sRNA-mediated mRNA activation, which involves the targeting of intra-operonic terminators. Overall, our study provides an important resource through the comprehensive annotation of 5' and 3' UTRs in F. nucleatum and expands our understanding of the σE response in this evolutionarily distant bacterium.IMPORTANCEThe oral microbe Fusobacterium nucleatum can colonize secondary sites, including cancer tissue, and likely deploys complex regulatory systems to adapt to these new environments. These systems are largely unknown, partly due to the phylogenetic distance of F. nucleatum to other model organisms. Previously, we identified a global stress response mediated by σE that displays functional conservation with the envelope stress response in Proteobacteria, comprising a coding and noncoding regulatory arm. Through global identification of transcriptional start and stop sites, we uncovered the small RNA (sRNA) FoxJ as a novel component of the noncoding arm of the σE response in F. nucleatum. Together with its companion sRNA FoxI, FoxJ post-transcriptionally modulates the synthesis of envelope proteins, revealing a conserved function for σE-dependent sRNAs between Fusobacteriota and Proteobacteria. Moreover, FoxJ activates the gene expression for several targets, which is a mode of regulation previously unseen in the noncoding arm of the σE response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falk Ponath
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Yan Zhu
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Vogel
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
- RNA Biology Group, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Li J, Ma Q, Huang J, Liu Y, Zhou J, Yu S, Zhang Q, Lin Y, Wang L, Zou J, Li Y. Small RNA SmsR1 modulates acidogenicity and cariogenic virulence by affecting protein acetylation in Streptococcus mutans. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012147. [PMID: 38620039 PMCID: PMC11045139 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-transcriptional regulation by small RNAs and post-translational modifications (PTM) such as lysine acetylation play fundamental roles in physiological circuits, offering rapid responses to environmental signals with low energy consumption. Yet, the interplay between these regulatory systems remains underexplored. Here, we unveil the cross-talk between sRNAs and lysine acetylation in Streptococcus mutans, a primary cariogenic pathogen known for its potent acidogenic virulence. Through systematic overexpression of sRNAs in S. mutans, we identified sRNA SmsR1 as a critical player in modulating acidogenicity, a key cariogenic virulence feature in S. mutans. Furthermore, combined with the analysis of predicted target mRNA and transcriptome results, potential target genes were identified and experimentally verified. A direct interaction between SmsR1 and 5'-UTR region of pdhC gene was determined by in vitro binding assays. Importantly, we found that overexpression of SmsR1 reduced the expression of pdhC mRNA and increased the intracellular concentration of acetyl-CoA, resulting in global changes in protein acetylation levels. This was verified by acetyl-proteomics in S. mutans, along with an increase in acetylation level and decreased activity of LDH. Our study unravels a novel regulatory paradigm where sRNA bridges post-transcriptional regulation with post-translational modification, underscoring bacterial adeptness in fine-tuning responses to environmental stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qizhao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jun Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yaqi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuxing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongwang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lingyun Wang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Jing Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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McQuail J, Matera G, Gräfenhan T, Bischler T, Haberkant P, Stein F, Vogel J, Wigneshweraraj S. Global Hfq-mediated RNA interactome of nitrogen starved Escherichia coli uncovers a conserved post-transcriptional regulatory axis required for optimal growth recovery. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2323-2339. [PMID: 38142457 PMCID: PMC10954441 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The RNA binding protein Hfq has a central role in the post-transcription control of gene expression in many bacteria. Numerous studies have mapped the transcriptome-wide Hfq-mediated RNA-RNA interactions in growing bacteria or bacteria that have entered short-term growth-arrest. To what extent post-transcriptional regulation underpins gene expression in growth-arrested bacteria remains unknown. Here, we used nitrogen (N) starvation as a model to study the Hfq-mediated RNA interactome as Escherichia coli enter, experience, and exit long-term growth arrest. We observe that the Hfq-mediated RNA interactome undergoes extensive changes during N starvation, with the conserved SdsR sRNA making the most interactions with different mRNA targets exclusively in long-term N-starved E. coli. Taking a proteomics approach, we reveal that in growth-arrested cells SdsR influences gene expression far beyond its direct mRNA targets. We demonstrate that the absence of SdsR significantly compromises the ability of the mutant bacteria to recover growth competitively from the long-term N-starved state and uncover a conserved post-transcriptional regulatory axis which underpins this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh McQuail
- Section of Molecular Microbiology and Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Gianluca Matera
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tom Gräfenhan
- Core Unit Systems Medicine, University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Bischler
- Core Unit Systems Medicine, University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Per Haberkant
- Proteomics Core Facility, EMBL Heidelberg, D-69117,Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frank Stein
- Proteomics Core Facility, EMBL Heidelberg, D-69117,Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jörg Vogel
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), Faculty of Medicine, University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sivaramesh Wigneshweraraj
- Section of Molecular Microbiology and Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK
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Ghosh T, Jahangirnejad S, Chauvier A, Stringer AM, Korepanov AP, Côté JP, Wade JT, Lafontaine DA. Direct and indirect control of Rho-dependent transcription termination by the Escherichia coli lysC riboswitch. RNA 2024; 30:381-391. [PMID: 38253429 PMCID: PMC10946432 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079779.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial riboswitches are molecular structures that play a crucial role in controlling gene expression to maintain cellular balance. The Escherichia coli lysC riboswitch has been previously shown to regulate gene expression through translation initiation and mRNA decay. Recent research suggests that lysC gene expression is also influenced by Rho-dependent transcription termination. Through a series of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo experiments, we provide experimental evidence that the lysC riboswitch directly and indirectly modulates Rho transcription termination. Our study demonstrates that Rho-dependent transcription termination plays a significant role in the cotranscriptional regulation of lysC expression. Together with previous studies, our work suggests that lysC expression is governed by a lysine-sensing riboswitch that regulates translation initiation, transcription termination, and mRNA degradation. Notably, both Rho and RNase E target the same region of the RNA molecule, implying that RNase E may degrade Rho-terminated transcripts, providing a means to selectively eliminate these incomplete messenger RNAs. Overall, this study sheds light on the complex regulatory mechanisms used by bacterial riboswitches, emphasizing the role of transcription termination in the control of gene expression and mRNA stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tithi Ghosh
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, RNA Group, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada J1K 2R1
| | - Shirin Jahangirnejad
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, RNA Group, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada J1K 2R1
| | - Adrien Chauvier
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, RNA Group, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada J1K 2R1
| | - Anne M Stringer
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York 12208, USA
| | - Alexey P Korepanov
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, UMR8261 CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jean Phillippe Côté
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, RNA Group, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada J1K 2R1
| | - Joseph T Wade
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York 12208, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany, Albany, New York 12201, USA
| | - Daniel A Lafontaine
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, RNA Group, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada J1K 2R1
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Małecka EM, Woodson SA. RNA compaction and iterative scanning for small RNA targets by the Hfq chaperone. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2069. [PMID: 38453956 PMCID: PMC10920880 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46316-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA-guided enzymes must quickly search a vast sequence space for their targets. This search is aided by chaperones such as Hfq, a protein that mediates regulation by bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs). How RNA binding proteins enhance this search is little known. Using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer, we show that E. coli Hfq performs a one-dimensional scan in which compaction of the target RNA delivers sRNAs to sites distant from the location of Hfq recruitment. We also show that Hfq can transfer an sRNA between different target sites in a single mRNA, favoring the most stable duplex. We propose that compaction and segmental transfer, combined with repeated cycles of base pairing, enable the kinetic selection of optimal sRNA targets. Finally, we show that RNA compaction and sRNA transfer require conserved arginine patches. We suggest that arginine patches are a widespread strategy for enabling the movement of RNA across protein surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina M Małecka
- Thomas C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St.,5, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
- Laboratory of Single-Molecule Biophysics, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Trojdena 4, Warsaw, 02-109, Poland.
| | - Sarah A Woodson
- Thomas C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St.,5, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
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Xie Z, Wang X, Huang Y, Chen S, Liu M, Zhang F, Li M, Wang X, Gu Y, Yang Y, Shen X, Wang Y, Xu Y, Xu L. Pseudomonas aeruginosa outer membrane vesicle-packed sRNAs can enter host cells and regulate innate immune responses. Microb Pathog 2024; 188:106562. [PMID: 38307370 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2024.106562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) can package and deliver virulence factors into host cells, which is an important mechanism mediating host-pathogen interactions. It has been reported that small RNAs (sRNAs) can be packed into OMVs with varying relative abundance, which might affect the function and/or stability of host mRNAs. In this study, we used OptiPrep density gradient ultra-high-speed centrifugation to purify OMVs from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Next, the sequences and abundance of sRNAs were detected by using Small RNA-Seq. In particular, sRNA4518698, sRNA2316613 and sRNA809738 were the three most abundant sRNAs in OMVs, which are all fragments of P. aeruginosa non-coding RNAs. sRNAs were shielded within the interior of OMVs and remained resistant to external RNase cleavage. The miRanda and RNAhybrid analysis demonstrated that those sRNAs could target a large number of host mRNAs, which were enriched in host immune responses by the functions of GO and KEGG enrichment. Experimentally, we demonstrated that the transfection of synthetic sRNA4518698, sRNA2316613, or sRNA809738 could reduce the expression of innate immune response genes in RAW264.7 cells. Together, we demonstrated that P. aeruginosa OMVs sRNAs can regulate innate immune responses. This study uncovered a mechanism in which the OMVs regulate host responses by transferring bacterial sRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Xie
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Yangyang Huang
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Shukun Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Mohua Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Fuhua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Mengyuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Yanchao Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Yadong Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Xihui Shen
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Yao Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
| | - Yang Xu
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
| | - Lei Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
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10
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Ruhland E, Siemers M, Gerst R, Späth F, Vogt LN, Figge MT, Papenfort K, Fröhlich KS. The global RNA-RNA interactome of Klebsiella pneumoniae unveils a small RNA regulator of cell division. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317322121. [PMID: 38377209 PMCID: PMC10907235 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317322121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitous RNA chaperone Hfq is involved in the regulation of key biological processes in many species across the bacterial kingdom. In the opportunistic human pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae, deletion of the hfq gene affects the global transcriptome, virulence, and stress resistance; however, the ligands of the major RNA-binding protein in this species have remained elusive. In this study, we have combined transcriptomic, co-immunoprecipitation, and global RNA interactome analyses to compile an inventory of conserved and species-specific RNAs bound by Hfq and to monitor Hfq-mediated RNA-RNA interactions. In addition to dozens of RNA-RNA pairs, our study revealed an Hfq-dependent small regulatory RNA (sRNA), DinR, which is processed from the 3' terminal portion of dinI mRNA. Transcription of dinI is controlled by the master regulator of the SOS response, LexA. As DinR accumulates in K. pneumoniae in response to DNA damage, the sRNA represses translation of the ftsZ transcript by occupation of the ribosome binding site. Ectopic overexpression of DinR causes depletion of ftsZ mRNA and inhibition of cell division, while deletion of dinR antagonizes cell elongation in the presence of DNA damage. Collectively, our work highlights the important role of RNA-based gene regulation in K. pneumoniae and uncovers the central role of DinR in LexA-controlled division inhibition during the SOS response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Ruhland
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
| | - Malte Siemers
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
| | - Ruman Gerst
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology–Hans Knöll Institute, Jena07745, Germany
| | - Felix Späth
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
| | - Laura Nicole Vogt
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
| | - Marc Thilo Figge
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology–Hans Knöll Institute, Jena07745, Germany
| | - Kai Papenfort
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
| | - Kathrin Sophie Fröhlich
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena07743, Germany
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11
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Wicke D, Neumann P, Gößringer M, Chernev A, Davydov S, Poehlein A, Daniel R, Urlaub H, Hartmann R, Ficner R, Stülke J. The previously uncharacterized RnpM (YlxR) protein modulates the activity of ribonuclease P in Bacillus subtilis in vitro. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:1404-1419. [PMID: 38050972 PMCID: PMC10853771 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Even though Bacillus subtilis is one of the most studied organisms, no function has been identified for about 20% of its proteins. Among these unknown proteins are several RNA- and ribosome-binding proteins suggesting that they exert functions in cellular information processing. In this work, we have investigated the RNA-binding protein YlxR. This protein is widely conserved in bacteria and strongly constitutively expressed in B. subtilis suggesting an important function. We have identified the RNA subunit of the essential RNase P as the binding partner of YlxR. The main activity of RNase P is the processing of 5' ends of pre-tRNAs. In vitro processing assays demonstrated that the presence of YlxR results in reduced RNase P activity. Chemical cross-linking studies followed by in silico docking analysis and experiments with site-directed mutant proteins suggest that YlxR binds to the region of the RNase P RNA that is important for binding and cleavage of the pre-tRNA substrate. We conclude that the YlxR protein is a novel interaction partner of the RNA subunit of RNase P that serves to finetune RNase P activity to ensure appropriate amounts of mature tRNAs for translation. We rename the YlxR protein RnpM for RNase P modulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Wicke
- Department of General Microbiology, GZMB, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Piotr Neumann
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, GZMB, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Gößringer
- Institute for the Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Aleksandar Chernev
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Swetlana Davydov
- Institute for the Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Anja Poehlein
- Department of Genomic and Applied Microbiology & Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, GZMB, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rolf Daniel
- Department of Genomic and Applied Microbiology & Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, GZMB, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, GZMB, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence “Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells” (MBExC), Georg-August-University Göttingen, Germany
| | - Roland K Hartmann
- Institute for the Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Ficner
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, GZMB, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Stülke
- Department of General Microbiology, GZMB, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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12
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Soares LW, King CG, Fernando CM, Roth A, Breaker RR. Genetic disruption of the bacterial raiA motif noncoding RNA causes defects in sporulation and aggregation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318008121. [PMID: 38306478 PMCID: PMC10861870 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318008121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Several structured noncoding RNAs in bacteria are essential contributors to fundamental cellular processes. Thus, discoveries of additional ncRNA classes provide opportunities to uncover and explore biochemical mechanisms relevant to other major and potentially ancient processes. A candidate structured ncRNA named the "raiA motif" has been found via bioinformatic analyses in over 2,500 bacterial species. The gene coding for the RNA typically resides between the raiA and comFC genes of many species of Bacillota and Actinomycetota. Structural probing of the raiA motif RNA from the Gram-positive anaerobe Clostridium acetobutylicum confirms key features of its sophisticated secondary structure model. Expression analysis of raiA motif RNA reveals that the RNA is constitutively produced but reaches peak abundance during the transition from exponential growth to stationary phase. The raiA motif RNA becomes the fourth most abundant RNA in C. acetobutylicum, excluding ribosomal RNAs and transfer RNAs. Genetic disruption of the raiA motif RNA causes cells to exhibit substantially decreased spore formation and diminished ability to aggregate. Restoration of normal cellular function in this knock-out strain is achieved by expression of a raiA motif gene from a plasmid. These results demonstrate that raiA motif RNAs normally participate in major cell differentiation processes by operating as a trans-acting factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas W. Soares
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University, New Haven, CT06536
| | - Christopher G. King
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511-8103
| | - Chrishan M. Fernando
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511-8103
| | - Adam Roth
- HHMI, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511-8103
| | - Ronald R. Breaker
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511-8103
- HHMI, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511-8103
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511-8103
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13
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Okabe T, Aoi R, Yokota A, Tamiya-Ishitsuka H, Jiang Y, Sasaki A, Tsuneda S, Noda N. Arg-73 of the RNA endonuclease MazF in Salmonella enterica subsp. arizonae contributes to guanine and uracil recognition in the cleavage sequence. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105636. [PMID: 38199572 PMCID: PMC10864209 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The sequence-specific endoribonuclease MazF is widely conserved among prokaryotes. Approximately 20 different MazF cleavage sequences have been discovered, varying from three to seven nucleotides in length. Although MazFs from various prokaryotes were found, the cleavage sequences of most MazFs are unknown. Here, we characterized the conserved MazF of Salmonella enterica subsp. arizonae (MazF-SEA). Using massive parallel sequencing and fluorometric assays, we revealed that MazF-SEA preferentially cleaves the sequences U∧ACG and U∧ACU (∧ represents cleavage sites). In addition, we predicted the 3D structure of MazF-SEA using AlphaFold2 and aligned it with the crystal structure of RNA-bound Bacillus subtilis MazF to evaluate RNA interactions. We found Arg-73 of MazF-SEA interacts with RNAs containing G and U at the third position from the cleavage sites (U∧ACG and U∧ACU). We then obtained the mutated MazF-SEA R73L protein to evaluate the significance of Arg-73 interaction with RNAs containing G and U at this position. We also used fluorometric and kinetic assays and showed the enzymatic activity of MazF-SEA R73L for the sequence UACG and UACU was significantly decreased. These results suggest Arg-73 is essential for recognizing G and U at the third position from the cleavage sites. This is the first study to our knowledge to identify a single residue responsible for RNA recognition by MazF. Owing to its high specificity and ribosome-independence, MazF is useful for RNA cleavage in vitro. These results will likely contribute to increasing the diversity of MazF specificity and to furthering the application of MazF in RNA engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuma Okabe
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan; Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Rie Aoi
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan; Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Akiko Yokota
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hiroko Tamiya-Ishitsuka
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yunong Jiang
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ibaraki, Japan; Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Akira Sasaki
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Satoshi Tsuneda
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Naohiro Noda
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan; Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ibaraki, Japan; School of Integrative and Global Majors, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
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14
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Lejars M, Hajnsdorf E. Bacterial RNase III: Targets and physiology. Biochimie 2024; 217:54-65. [PMID: 37482092 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria can rapidly adapt to changes in their environment thanks to the innate flexibility of their genetic expression. The high turnover rate of RNAs, in particular messenger and regulatory RNAs, provides an important contribution to this dynamic adjustment. Recycling of RNAs is ensured by ribonucleases, among which RNase III is the focus of this review. RNase III enzymes are highly conserved from prokaryotes to eukaryotes and have the specific ability to cleave double-stranded RNAs. The role of RNase III in bacterial physiology has remained poorly explored for a long time. However, transcriptomic approaches recently uncovered a large impact of RNase III in gene expression in a wide range of bacteria, generating renewed interest in the physiological role of RNase III. In this review, we first describe the RNase III targets identified from global approaches in 8 bacterial species within 4 Phyla. We then present the conserved and unique functions of bacterial RNase III focusing on growth, resistance to stress, biofilm formation, motility and virulence. Altogether, this review highlights the underestimated impact of RNase III in bacterial adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxence Lejars
- Transborder Medical Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Eliane Hajnsdorf
- UMR8261, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005, Paris, France.
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15
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Lu X, Xiao J, Wang L, Zhu B, Huang F. The nuclease-associated short prokaryotic Argonaute system nonspecifically degrades DNA upon activation by target recognition. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:844-855. [PMID: 38048327 PMCID: PMC10810196 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Prokaryotic Argonautes (pAgos) play a vital role in host defense by utilizing short nucleic acid guides to recognize and target complementary nucleic acids. Despite being the majority of pAgos, short pAgos have only recently received attention. Short pAgos are often associated with proteins containing an APAZ domain and a nuclease domain including DUF4365, SMEK, or HNH domain. In contrast to long pAgos that specifically cleave the target DNA, our study demonstrates that the short pAgo from Thermocrispum municipal, along with its associated DUF4365-APAZ protein, forms a heterodimeric complex. Upon RNA-guided target DNA recognition, this complex is activated to nonspecifically cleave DNA. Additionally, we found that the TmuRE-Ago complex shows a preference for 5'-OH guide RNA, specifically requires a uridine nucleotide at the 5' end of the guide RNA, and is sensitive to single-nucleotide mismatches between the guide RNA and target DNA. Based on its catalytic properties, our study has established a novel nucleic acid detection method and demonstrated its feasibility. This study not only expands our understanding of the defense mechanism employed by short pAgo systems but also suggests their potential applications in nucleic acid detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueling Lu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Jun Xiao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Longfei Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Bin Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
- Shenzhen Huazhong University of Science and Technology Research Institute, Shenzhen 518063, China
| | - Fengtao Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
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16
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Elgrably-Weiss M, Hussain F, Georg J, Shraiteh B, Altuvia S. Balanced cell division is secured by two different regulatory sites in OxyS RNA. RNA 2024; 30:124-135. [PMID: 38071477 PMCID: PMC10798246 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079836.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
The hydrogen peroxide-induced small RNA OxyS has been proposed to originate from the 3' UTR of a peroxide mRNA. Unexpectedly, phylogenetic OxyS targetome predictions indicate that most OxyS targets belong to the category of "cell cycle," including cell division and cell elongation. Previously, we reported that Escherichia coli OxyS inhibits cell division by repressing expression of the essential transcription termination factor nusG, thereby leading to the expression of the KilR protein, which interferes with the function of the major cell division protein, FtsZ. By interfering with cell division, OxyS brings about cell-cycle arrest, thus allowing DNA damage repair. Cell division and cell elongation are opposing functions to the extent that inhibition of cell division requires a parallel inhibition of cell elongation for the cells to survive. In this study, we report that in addition to cell division, OxyS inhibits mepS, which encodes an essential peptidoglycan endopeptidase that is responsible for cell elongation. Our study indicates that cell-cycle arrest and balancing between cell division and cell elongation are important and conserved functions of the oxidative stress-induced sRNA OxyS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Elgrably-Weiss
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Fayyaz Hussain
- Faculty of Biology, Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jens Georg
- Faculty of Biology, Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bushra Shraiteh
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shoshy Altuvia
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
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17
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Ko SC, Woo HM. CRISPR-dCas13a system for programmable small RNAs and polycistronic mRNA repression in bacteria. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:492-506. [PMID: 38015471 PMCID: PMC10783499 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) function in post-transcriptional regulatory responses to environmental changes. However, the lack of eukaryotic RNA interference-like machinery in bacteria has limited the systematic engineering of RNA repression. Here, we report the development of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-guided dead CRIPSR-associated protein 13a (dCas13a) ribonucleoprotein that utilizes programmable CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) to repress trans-acting and cis-acting sRNA as the target, altering regulatory mechanisms and stress-related phenotypes. In addition, we implemented a modular loop engineering of the crRNA to promote modular repression of the target gene with 92% knockdown efficiency and a single base-pair mismatch specificity. With the engineered crRNAs, we achieved targetable single-gene repression in the polycistronic operon. For metabolic application, 102 crRNAs were constructed in the biofoundry and used for screening novel knockdown sRNA targets to improve lycopene (colored antioxidant) production in Escherichia coli. The CRISPR-dCas13a system will assist as a valuable systematic tool for the discovery of novel sRNAs and the fine-tuning of bacterial RNA repression in both scientific and industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Cheon Ko
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- BioFoundry Research Center, Institute of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Han Min Woo
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- BioFoundry Research Center, Institute of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of MetaBioHealth, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
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18
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Liu SJ, Lin GM, Yuan YQ, Chen W, Zhang JY, Zhang CC. A conserved protein inhibitor brings under check the activity of RNase E in cyanobacteria. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:404-419. [PMID: 38000383 PMCID: PMC10783494 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The bacterial ribonuclease RNase E plays a key role in RNA metabolism. Yet, with a large substrate spectrum and poor substrate specificity, its activity must be well controlled under different conditions. Only a few regulators of RNase E are known, limiting our understanding on posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms in bacteria. Here we show that, RebA, a protein universally present in cyanobacteria, interacts with RNase E in the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120. Distinct from those known regulators of RNase E, RebA interacts with the catalytic region of RNase E, and suppresses the cleavage activities of RNase E for all tested substrates. Consistent with the inhibitory function of RebA on RNase E, depletion of RNase E and overproduction of RebA caused formation of elongated cells, whereas the absence of RebA and overproduction of RNase E resulted in a shorter-cell phenotype. We further showed that the morphological changes caused by altered levels of RNase E or RebA are dependent on their physical interaction. The action of RebA represents a new mechanism, potentially conserved in cyanobacteria, for RNase E regulation. Our findings provide insights into the regulation and the function of RNase E, and demonstrate the importance of balanced RNA metabolism in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Juan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430070, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Gui-Ming Lin
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yu-Qi Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Wenli Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ju-Yuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Cheng-Cai Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
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19
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Roy Chowdhury M, Massé E. New Perspectives on Crosstalks Between Bacterial Regulatory RNAs from Outer Membrane Vesicles and Eukaryotic Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2741:183-194. [PMID: 38217654 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3565-0_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Regulatory small RNAs (sRNAs) help the bacteria to survive harsh environmental conditions by posttranscriptional regulation of genes involved in various biological pathways including stress responses, homeostasis, and virulence. These sRNAs can be found carried by different membrane-bound vesicles like extracellular vesicles (EVs), membrane vesicles (MVs), or outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). OMVs provide myriad functions in bacterial cells including carrying a cargo of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids including sRNAs. A few interesting studies have shown that these sRNAs can be transported to the host cell by membrane vesicles and can regulate the host immune system. Although there is evidence that sRNAs can be exported to host cells and sometimes can even cross the blood-brain barrier, the exact mechanism is still unknown. In this review, we investigated the new techniques implemented in various studies, to elucidate the crosstalks between bacterial cells and human immune systems by membrane vesicles carrying bacterial regulatory sRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moumita Roy Chowdhury
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Eric Massé
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
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20
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Scheuer R, Kothe J, Wähling J, Evguenieva-Hackenberg E. Analysis of sRNAs and Their mRNA Targets in Sinorhizobium meliloti: Focus on Half-Life Determination. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2741:239-254. [PMID: 38217657 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3565-0_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Regulation of gene expression at the level of RNA and/or by regulatory RNA is an integral part of the regulatory circuits in all living cells. In bacteria, transcription and translation can be coupled, enabling regulation by transcriptional attenuation, a mechanism based on mutually exclusive structures in nascent mRNA. Transcriptional attenuation gives rise to small RNAs that are well suited to act in trans by either base pairing or ligand binding. Examples of 5'-UTR-derived sRNAs in the alpha-proteobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti are the sRNA rnTrpL of the tryptophan attenuator and SAM-II riboswitch sRNAs. Analyses addressing RNA-based gene regulation often include measurements of steady-state levels and of half-lives of specific sRNAs and mRNAs. Using such measurements, recently we have shown that the tryptophan attenuator responds to translation inhibition by tetracycline and that SAM-II riboswitches stabilize RNA. Here we discuss our experience in using alternative RNA purification methods for analysis of sRNA and mRNA of S. meliloti. Additionally, we show that other translational inhibitors (besides tetracycline) also cause attenuation giving rise to the rnTrpL sRNA. Furthermore, we discuss the importance of considering RNA stability changes under different conditions and describe in detail a robust and fast method for mRNA half-life determination. The latter includes rifampicin treatment, RNA isolation using commercially available columns, and mRNA analysis by reverse transcription followed by quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The latter can be performed as a one-step procedure or in a strand-specific manner using the same commercial kit and a spike-in transcript as a reference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robina Scheuer
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jennifer Kothe
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jan Wähling
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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21
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Blache A, Achouak W. Extraction and Purification of Outer Membrane Vesicles and Their Associated RNAs. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2741:11-24. [PMID: 38217646 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3565-0_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), produced by Gram negative-bacteria and sRNAs, are key players in cell-to-cell communication and interactions of bacteria with the environment. OMVs act as information carriers and encapsulate various molecules such as proteins, lipids, metabolites, and RNAs. OMVs and sRNAs play a broad range of functions from pathogenesis to stress resistance, to biofilm formation and both mediate interkingdom signaling. Various studies indicate that there is a mechanism of intercellular communication mediated by OMV-derived bacterial RNAs that is conserved among certain bacterial species. Here we describe methods for the extraction and purification of vesicles produced by Gram-negative bacteria, such as Pseudomonas brassicacearum and Escherichia coli, and address methods for the extraction of OMVs-derived sRNA and techniques for the analysis of sRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Blache
- CEA, CNRS, Aix Marseille University Lab of Microbial Ecology of the Rhizosphere (LEMiRE), UMR7265 BIAM, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Wafa Achouak
- CEA, CNRS, Aix Marseille University Lab of Microbial Ecology of the Rhizosphere (LEMiRE), UMR7265 BIAM, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France.
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22
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Wu P, Yang L. sRNA Structural Modeling Based on NMR Data. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2741:383-397. [PMID: 38217664 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3565-0_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) play vital roles in gene expression regulation and RNA interference. To comprehend their molecular mechanisms and develop therapeutic approaches, determining the accurate three-dimensional structure of sRNAs is crucial. Although nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a powerful tool for structural biology, obtaining high-resolution structures of sRNAs using NMR data alone can be challenging. In such cases, structural modeling can provide additional details about RNA structures. In this context, we present a protocol for the structural modeling of sRNA using the SimRNA method based on sparse NMR constraints. To demonstrate the efficacy of our method, we provide selected examples of NMR spectra and RNA structures, specifically for the second stem-loop of DsrA sRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengzhi Wu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Lingna Yang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, People's Republic of China
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23
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Lechner A, Wolff P. In-Gel Cyanoethylation for Pseudouridines Mass Spectrometry Detection of Bacterial Regulatory RNA. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2741:273-287. [PMID: 38217659 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3565-0_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Regulatory RNAs, as well as many RNA families, contain chemically modified nucleotides, including pseudouridines (ψ). To map nucleotide modifications, approaches based on enzymatic digestion of RNA followed by nano liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS) analysis were implemented several years ago. However, detection of ψ by mass spectrometry (MS) is challenging as ψ exhibits the same mass as uridine. Thus, a chemical labeling strategy using acrylonitrile was developed to detect this mass-silent modification. Acrylonitrile reacts specifically to ψ to form 1-cyanoethylpseudouridine (Ceψ), resulting in a mass shift of ψ detectable by MS. Here, a protocol detailing the steps from the purification of RNA by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, including in-gel labeling of ψ, to MS data interpretation to map ψ and other modifications is proposed. To demonstrate its efficiency, the protocol was applied to bacterial regulatory RNAs from E. coli: 6S RNA and transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA, also known as 10Sa RNA). Moreover, ribonuclease P (RNase P) was also mapped using this approach. This method enabled the detection of several ψ at single nucleotide resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antony Lechner
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Strasbourg, France
| | - Philippe Wolff
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Strasbourg, France.
- Plateforme protéomique Strasbourg Esplanade FRC1589 du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
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24
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Ul Haq I, Müller P, Brantl S. In Vitro Methods for the Investigation of sRNA-mRNA Interactions in Bacillus subtilis. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2741:145-174. [PMID: 38217652 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3565-0_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
So far, in Bacillus subtilis, only four trans-encoded and 11 cis-encoded sRNAs and their targets have been investigated in detail, the majority of them in our group (rev. in 1, 2). Here, we describe in vitro methods for the analysis of sRNA/mRNA interactions. All these methods have been either elaborated or significantly improved in our group and successfully applied to characterize a number of sRNA/target mRNA systems in Bacillus subtilis for which we provide examples from our own work. The in vitro methods comprise the synthesis and purification of labeled and unlabeled RNA, the analysis of sRNA/mRNA interactions in electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) including the calculation of their apparent binding rate constants (kapp) and equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd), the localization of minimal regulatory regions of an sRNA, the determination of the secondary structures of both interacting RNAs and their complex as well as the analysis of RNA chaperones that may promote the sRNA/mRNA interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inam Ul Haq
- Matthias-Schleiden-Institut für Genetik, Bioinformatik und Molekulare Botanik, AG Bakteriengenetik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Peter Müller
- Matthias-Schleiden-Institut für Genetik, Bioinformatik und Molekulare Botanik, AG Bakteriengenetik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Sabine Brantl
- Matthias-Schleiden-Institut für Genetik, Bioinformatik und Molekulare Botanik, AG Bakteriengenetik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany.
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25
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Ul Haq I, Müller P, Brantl S. Investigation of sRNA-mRNA Interactions in Bacillus subtilis In Vivo. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2741:117-144. [PMID: 38217651 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3565-0_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
In this chapter, we describe in vivo methods for the analysis of interactions between an sRNA and its target mRNA in B. subtilis. All these methods have been either established or significantly improved in our group and successfully employed to characterize a number of sRNA/target mRNA systems in Bacillus subtilis. Whereas in Chap. 8, we describe a combination of in vitro methods, e.g., EMSA and RNA secondary structure probing, we focus here on the investigation of RNA-RNA interactions in vivo using compatible plasmids or chromosomal insertions and deletions, the elucidation of the mechanisms of action of regulatory sRNAs employing transcriptional and translational reporter gene fusions, as well as the determination of expression profiles, half-lives of sRNA and mRNA, and their intracellular concentrations, and, finally, the investigation of RNA chaperones that promote the sRNA/mRNA interaction. For an in-depth analysis of sRNA-mRNA interactions in B. subtilis, a combination of in vivo and in vitro methods should be applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inam Ul Haq
- Matthias-Schleiden-Institut für Genetik, Bioinformatik und Molekulare Botanik, AG Bakteriengenetik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Peter Müller
- Matthias-Schleiden-Institut für Genetik, Bioinformatik und Molekulare Botanik, AG Bakteriengenetik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Sabine Brantl
- Matthias-Schleiden-Institut für Genetik, Bioinformatik und Molekulare Botanik, AG Bakteriengenetik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany.
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26
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Chamberlain AR, Huynh L, Huang W, Taylor DJ, Harris ME. The specificity landscape of bacterial ribonuclease P. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105498. [PMID: 38013087 PMCID: PMC10731613 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Developing quantitative models of substrate specificity for RNA processing enzymes is a key step toward understanding their biology and guiding applications in biotechnology and biomedicine. Optimally, models to predict relative rate constants for alternative substrates should integrate an understanding of structures of the enzyme bound to "fast" and "slow" substrates, large datasets of rate constants for alternative substrates, and transcriptomic data identifying in vivo processing sites. Such data are either available or emerging for bacterial ribonucleoprotein RNase P a widespread and essential tRNA 5' processing endonuclease, thus making it a valuable model system for investigating principles of biological specificity. Indeed, the well-established structure and kinetics of bacterial RNase P enabled the development of high throughput measurements of rate constants for tRNA variants and provided the necessary framework for quantitative specificity modeling. Several studies document the importance of conformational changes in the precursor tRNA substrate as well as the RNA and protein subunits of bacterial RNase P during binding, although the functional roles and dynamics are still being resolved. Recently, results from cryo-EM studies of E. coli RNase P with alternative precursor tRNAs are revealing prospective mechanistic relationships between conformational changes and substrate specificity. Yet, extensive uncharted territory remains, including leveraging these advances for drug discovery, achieving a complete accounting of RNase P substrates, and understanding how the cellular context contributes to RNA processing specificity in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Loc Huynh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Derek J Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Michael E Harris
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
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27
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Schilder A, Göpel Y, Khan MA, Görke B. Evaluation of 5'-End Phosphorylation for Small RNA Stability and Target Regulation In Vivo. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2741:255-272. [PMID: 38217658 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3565-0_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) can be equipped at the 5' end with triphosphate (5'PPP) or monophosphate (5'P) groups, depending on whether they are primary transcripts, undergo dephosphorylation or originate via processing. Often, 5' groups hallmark RNAs for rapid decay, but whether this also applies to sRNAs is little explored. Moreover, the sRNA 5'P group could activate endoribonuclease RNase E to cleave the base-paired target RNA, but a tool for investigation in vivo was lacking. Here, we describe a two-plasmid system suitable for the generation of 5' monophosphorylated RNAs on demand inside the cell. The sRNA gene of interest is fused to the 3' end of a fragment of sRNA GlmZ and transcribed from a plasmid in an IPTG-inducible manner. The fusion RNA gets cleaved upon arabinose-controlled expression of rapZ, provided on a compatible plasmid. Adaptor protein RapZ binds the GlmZ aptamer and directs RNase E to release the sRNA of choice with 5'P ends. An isogenic plasmid generating the same sRNA with a 5'PPP end allows for direct comparison. The fates of the sRNA variants and target RNA(s) are monitored by Northern blotting. This tool is applicable to E. coli and likely other enteric bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Schilder
- Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yvonne Göpel
- Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Lexogen, Campus Vienna Biocenter 5, Vienna, Austria
| | - Muna Ayesha Khan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Lexogen, Campus Vienna Biocenter 5, Vienna, Austria
| | - Boris Görke
- Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria.
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28
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Santoro S, Bertoni G, Ferrara S. A Pseudomonas aeruginosa-Suitable Fluorescent Reporter System for Analyzing Small RNA-Mediated Regulation of Target mRNAs. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2721:69-83. [PMID: 37819516 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3473-8_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs have emerged as modulators that play key roles in regulatory networks related to viability, environmental adaptation, and pathogenesis. Small RNAs can modulate gene expression by base-pairing to target mRNAs, influencing their translation and/or stability. A superfolder GFP reporter system, previously developed for Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica, was adapted to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and used to validate novel mRNA targets in studies of small RNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Santoro
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Bertoni
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Ferrara
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Milano, Italy.
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29
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Luo X, Majdalani N. Directed Screening for sRNA Targets in E. coli Using a Plasmid Library. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2741:291-306. [PMID: 38217660 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3565-0_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
A large number of bacterial small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) modulate gene expression by base pairing to a target mRNA, affecting its translation or stability. This posttranscriptional regulation has been shown to be essential and critical for bacterial physiology. One of the challenges of studying sRNA signaling is identifying the sRNA regulators of specific genes. Here, we describe a protocol for making an sRNA expression library and using this library to screen for sRNA regulators of genes of interest in E. coli. This library can be easily expanded and adapted to use in other bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Luo
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Nadim Majdalani
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
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30
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Luo X, Zhang A, Tai CH, Chen J, Majdalani N, Storz G, Gottesman S. An acetyltranferase moonlights as a regulator of the RNA binding repertoire of the RNA chaperone Hfq in Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311509120. [PMID: 38011569 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311509120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) regulate gene expression by base-pairing with their target mRNAs. In Escherichia coli and many other bacteria, this process is dependent on the RNA chaperone Hfq, a mediator for sRNA-mRNA annealing. YhbS (renamed here as HqbA), a putative Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferase (GNAT), was previously identified as a silencer of sRNA signaling in a genomic library screen. Here, we studied how HqbA regulates sRNA signaling and investigated its physiological roles in modulating Hfq activity. Using fluorescent reporter assays, we found that HqbA overproduction suppressed all tested Hfq-dependent sRNA signaling. Direct interaction between HqbA and Hfq was demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro, and mutants that blocked the interaction interfered with HqbA suppression of Hfq. However, an acetylation-deficient HqbA mutant still disrupted sRNA signaling, and HqbA interacted with Hfq at a site far from the active site. This suggests that HqbA may be bifunctional, with separate roles for regulating via Hfq interaction and for acetylation of undefined substrates. Gel shift assays revealed that HqbA strongly reduced the interaction between the Hfq distal face and low-affinity RNAs but not high-affinity RNAs. Comparative RNA immunoprecipitation of Hfq and sequencing showed enrichment of two tRNA precursors, metZWV and proM, by Hfq in mutants that lost the HqbA-Hfq interaction. Our results suggest that HqbA provides a level of quality control for Hfq by competing with low-affinity RNA binders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Luo
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Aixia Zhang
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892-4417
| | - Chin-Hsien Tai
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Jiandong Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Nadim Majdalani
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Gisela Storz
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892-4417
| | - Susan Gottesman
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892
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31
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Tjaden B. TargetRNA3: predicting prokaryotic RNA regulatory targets with machine learning. Genome Biol 2023; 24:276. [PMID: 38041165 PMCID: PMC10691042 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03117-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Small regulatory RNAs pervade prokaryotes, with the best-studied family of these non-coding genes corresponding to trans-acting regulators that bind via base pairing to their message targets. Given the increasing frequency with which these genes are being identified, it is important that methods for illuminating their regulatory targets keep pace. Using a machine learning approach, we investigate thousands of interactions between small RNAs and their targets, and we interrogate more than a hundred features indicative of these interactions. We present a new method, TargetRNA3, for predicting targets of small RNA regulators and show that it outperforms existing approaches. TargetRNA3 is available at https://cs.wellesley.edu/~btjaden/TargetRNA3 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Tjaden
- Department of Computer Science, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA.
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32
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Lu C, Ramalho TP, Bisschops MMM, Wijffels RH, Martins Dos Santos VAP, Weusthuis RA. Crossing bacterial boundaries: The carbon catabolite repression system Crc-Hfq of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 as a tool to control translation in E. coli. N Biotechnol 2023; 77:20-29. [PMID: 37348756 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
As a global regulatory mechanism, carbon catabolite repression allows bacteria and eukaryal microbes to preferentially utilize certain substrates from a mixture of carbon sources. The mechanism varies among different species. In Pseudomonas spp., it is mainly mediated by the Crc-Hfq complex which binds to the 5' region of the target mRNAs, thereby inhibiting their translation. This molecular mechanism enables P. putida to rapidly adjust and fine-tune gene expression in changing environments. Hfq is an RNA-binding protein that is ubiquitous and highly conserved in bacterial species. Considering the characteristics of Hfq, and the widespread use and rapid response of Crc-Hfq in P. putida, this complex has the potential to become a general toolbox for post-transcriptional multiplex regulation. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that transplanting the pseudomonal catabolite repression protein, Crc, into E. coli causes multiplex gene repression. Under the control of Crc, the production of a diester and its precursors was significantly reduced. The effects of Crc introduction on cell growth in both minimal and rich media were evaluated. Two potential factors - off-target effects and Hfq-sequestration - could explain negative effects on cell growth. Simultaneous reduction of off-targeting and increased sequestration of Hfq by the introduction of the small RNA CrcZ, indicated that Hfq sequestration plays a more prominent role in the negative side-effects. This suggests that the negative growth effect can be mitigated by well-controlled expression of Hfq. This study reveals the feasibility of controlling gene expression using heterologous regulation systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunzhe Lu
- Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University and Research, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Tiago P Ramalho
- Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University and Research, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Markus M M Bisschops
- Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University and Research, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rene H Wijffels
- Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University and Research, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands; Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, N-8049 Bodø, Norway
| | - Vitor A P Martins Dos Santos
- Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University and Research, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands; Lifeglimmer GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ruud A Weusthuis
- Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University and Research, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
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33
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Stein EM, Wang S, Dailey KG, Gravel CM, Wang S, Olejniczak M, Berry KE. Biochemical and genetic dissection of the RNA-binding surface of the FinO domain of Escherichia coli ProQ. RNA 2023; 29:1772-1791. [PMID: 37607742 PMCID: PMC10578477 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079697.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins play important roles in bacterial gene regulation through interactions with both coding and noncoding RNAs. ProQ is a FinO-domain protein that binds a large set of RNAs in Escherichia coli, though the details of how ProQ binds these RNAs remain unclear. In this study, we used a combination of in vivo and in vitro binding assays to confirm key structural features of E. coli ProQ's FinO domain and explore its mechanism of RNA interactions. Using a bacterial three-hybrid assay, we performed forward genetic screens to confirm the importance of the concave face of ProQ in RNA binding. Using gel shift assays, we directly probed the contributions of ten amino acids on ProQ binding to seven RNA targets. Certain residues (R58, Y70, and R80) were found to be essential for binding of all seven RNAs, while substitutions of other residues (K54 and R62) caused more moderate binding defects. Interestingly, substitutions of two amino acids (K35, R69), which are evolutionarily variable but adjacent to conserved residues, showed varied effects on the binding of different RNAs; these may arise from the differing sequence context around each RNA's terminator hairpin. Together, this work confirms many of the essential RNA-binding residues in ProQ initially identified in vivo and supports a model in which residues on the conserved concave face of the FinO domain such as R58, Y70, and R80 form the main RNA-binding site of E. coli ProQ, while additional contacts contribute to the binding of certain RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa M Stein
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Suxuan Wang
- Program in Biochemistry, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075, USA
| | - Katherine G Dailey
- Program in Biochemistry, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075, USA
| | - Chandra M Gravel
- Program in Biochemistry, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075, USA
| | - Shiying Wang
- Program in Biochemistry, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075, USA
| | - Mikołaj Olejniczak
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Katherine E Berry
- Program in Biochemistry, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075, USA
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Berman KE, Steans R, Hertz LM, Lucks JB. A transient intermediate RNA structure underlies the regulatory function of the E. coli thiB TPP translational riboswitch. RNA 2023; 29:1658-1672. [PMID: 37419663 PMCID: PMC10578472 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079427.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Riboswitches are cis-regulatory RNA elements that regulate gene expression in response to ligand binding through the coordinated action of a ligand-binding aptamer domain (AD) and a downstream expression platform (EP). Previous studies of transcriptional riboswitches have uncovered diverse examples that utilize structural intermediates that compete with the AD and EP folds to mediate the switching mechanism on the timescale of transcription. Here we investigate whether similar intermediates are important for riboswitches that control translation by studying the Escherichia coli thiB thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) riboswitch. Using cellular gene expression assays, we first confirmed that the riboswitch acts at the level of translational regulation. Deletion mutagenesis showed the importance of the AD-EP linker sequence for riboswitch function. Sequence complementarity between the linker region and the AD P1 stem suggested the possibility of an intermediate nascent RNA structure called the antisequestering stem that could mediate the thiB switching mechanism. Experimentally informed secondary structure models of the thiB folding pathway generated from chemical probing of nascent thiB structures in stalled transcription elongation complexes confirmed the presence of the antisequestering stem, and showed it may form cotranscriptionally. Additional mutational analysis showed that mutations to the antisequestering stem break or bias thiB function according to whether the antisequestering stem or P1 is favored. This work provides an important example of intermediate structures that compete with AD and EP folds to implement riboswitch mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Berman
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Russell Steans
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Laura M Hertz
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Julius B Lucks
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Illinois 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
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35
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Wilhelm CA, Mallik L, Kelly AL, Brotzman S, Mendoza J, Anders AG, Leskaj S, Castillo C, Ruotolo BT, Cianfrocco MA, Koutmos M. Bacterial RNA-free RNase P: Structural and functional characterization of multiple oligomeric forms of a minimal protein-only ribonuclease P. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105327. [PMID: 37806495 PMCID: PMC10652100 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
tRNAs are typically transcribed with extended 5' and 3' ends that must be removed before they attain their active form. One of the first steps of tRNA processing in nearly every organism is the removal of the 5' leader sequence by ribonuclease P (RNase P). Here, we investigate a recently discovered class of RNase P enzymes, Homologs of Aquifex RNase P (HARPs). In contrast to other RNase Ps, HARPs consist only of a metallonuclease domain and lack the canonical substrate recognition domain essential in other classes of proteinaceous RNase P. We determined the cryo-EM structure of Aquifex aeolicus HARP (Aq880) and two crystal structures of Hydrogenobacter thermophilus HARP (Hth1307) to reveal that both enzymes form large ring-like assemblies: a dodecamer in Aq880 and a tetradecamer in Hth1307. In both oligomers, the enzyme active site is 42 Å away from a positively charged helical region, as seen in other protein-only RNase P enzymes, which likely serves to recognize and bind the elbow region of the pre-tRNA substrate. In addition, we use native mass spectrometry to confirm and characterize the previously unreported tetradecamer state. Notably, we find that multiple oligomeric states of Hth1307 are able to cleave pre-tRNAs. Furthermore, our single-turnover kinetic studies indicate that Hth1307 cleaves pre-tRNAs from multiple species with a preference for native substrates. These data provide a closer look at the nuanced similarities and differences in tRNA processing across disparate classes of RNase P.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leena Mallik
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Abigail L Kelly
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Shayna Brotzman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Johnny Mendoza
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Anna G Anders
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Suada Leskaj
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Carmen Castillo
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Brandon T Ruotolo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Michael A Cianfrocco
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Markos Koutmos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
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36
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Zhou Y, Sun H, Rapiejko AR, Vargas-Blanco DA, Martini MC, Chase MR, Joubran SR, Davis AB, Dainis JP, Kelly JM, Ioerger TR, Roberts LA, Fortune SM, Shell SS. Mycobacterial RNase E cleaves with a distinct sequence preference and controls the degradation rates of most Mycolicibacterium smegmatis mRNAs. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105312. [PMID: 37802316 PMCID: PMC10641625 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms and regulation of RNA degradation in mycobacteria have been subject to increased interest following the identification of interplay between RNA metabolism and drug resistance. Mycobacteria encode multiple ribonucleases predicted to participate in mRNA degradation and/or processing of stable RNAs. RNase E is hypothesized to play a major role in mRNA degradation because of its essentiality in mycobacteria and its role in mRNA degradation in gram-negative bacteria. Here, we defined the impact of RNase E on mRNA degradation rates transcriptome-wide in the nonpathogenic model Mycolicibacterium smegmatis. RNase E played a rate-limiting role in degradation of the transcripts encoded by at least 89% of protein-coding genes, with leadered transcripts often being more affected by RNase E repression than leaderless transcripts. There was an apparent global slowing of transcription in response to knockdown of RNase E, suggesting that M. smegmatis regulates transcription in responses to changes in mRNA degradation. This compensation was incomplete, as the abundance of most transcripts increased upon RNase E knockdown. We assessed the sequence preferences for cleavage by RNase E transcriptome-wide in M. smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis and found a consistent bias for cleavage in C-rich regions. Purified RNase E had a clear preference for cleavage immediately upstream of cytidines, distinct from the sequence preferences of RNase E in gram-negative bacteria. We furthermore report a high-resolution map of mRNA cleavage sites in M. tuberculosis, which occur primarily within the RNase E-preferred sequence context, confirming that RNase E has a broad impact on the M. tuberculosis transcriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhou
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Huaming Sun
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Abigail R Rapiejko
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Diego A Vargas-Blanco
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maria Carla Martini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael R Chase
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Samantha R Joubran
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alexa B Davis
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joseph P Dainis
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jessica M Kelly
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thomas R Ioerger
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Louis A Roberts
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sarah M Fortune
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Scarlet S Shell
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
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Watkins D, Arya D. Models of Hfq interactions with small non-coding RNA in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1282258. [PMID: 37942477 PMCID: PMC10628458 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1282258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Hfq is required by many Gram-negative bacteria to chaperone the interaction between small non-coding RNA (sRNA) and mRNA to facilitate annealing. Conversely and despite the presence of Hfq in many Gram-positive bacteria, sRNAs in Gram-positive bacteria bind the mRNA target independent of Hfq. Details provided by the Hfq structures from both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria have demonstrated that despite a conserved global structure of the protein, variations of residues on the binding surfaces of Hfq results in the recognition of different RNA sequences as well as the ability of Hfq to facilitate the annealing of the sRNA to the mRNA target. Additionally, a subset of Gram-negative bacteria has an extended C-terminal Domain (CTD) that has been shown to affect the stability of the Hfq hexamer and increase the rate of release of the annealed sRNA-mRNA product. Here we review the structures of Hfq and biochemical data that have defined the interactions of the Gram-negative and Gram-positive homologues to highlight the similarities and differences in the interactions with RNA. These interactions provided a deeper understanding of the how Hfq functions to facilitate the annealing of sRNA-mRNA, the selectivity of the interactions with RNA, and the role of the CTD of Hfq in the interactions with sRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derrick Watkins
- Department of Math and Science, University of Tennessee Southern, Pulaski, TN, United States
| | - Dev Arya
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
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38
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Narayan G, Gracia Mazuca LA, Cho SS, Mohl JE, Koculi E. RNA Post-transcriptional Modifications of an Early-Stage Large-Subunit Ribosomal Intermediate. Biochemistry 2023; 62:2908-2915. [PMID: 37751522 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Protein production by ribosomes is fundamental to life, and proper assembly of the ribosome is required for protein production. The RNA, which is post-transcriptionally modified, provides the platform for ribosome assembly. Thus, a complete understanding of ribosome assembly requires the determination of the RNA post-transcriptional modifications in all of the ribosome assembly intermediates and on each pathway. There are 26 RNA post-transcriptional modifications in 23S RNA of the mature Escherichia coli (E. coli) large ribosomal subunit. The levels of these modifications have been investigated extensively only for a small number of large subunit intermediates and under a limited number of cellular and environmental conditions. In this study, we determined the level of incorporations of 2-methyl adenosine, 3-methyl pseudouridine, 5-hydroxycytosine, and seven pseudouridines in an early-stage E. coli large-subunit assembly intermediate with a sedimentation coefficient of 27S. The 27S intermediate is one of three large subunit intermediates accumulated in E. coli cells lacking the DEAD-box RNA helicase DbpA and expressing the helicase inactive R331A DbpA construct. The majority of the investigated modifications are incorporated into the 27S large subunit intermediate to similar levels to those in the mature 50S large subunit, indicating that these early modifications or the enzymes that incorporate them play important roles in the initial events of large subunit ribosome assembly.
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MESH Headings
- RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional
- Escherichia coli/genetics
- Escherichia coli/metabolism
- RNA, Bacterial/metabolism
- RNA, Bacterial/genetics
- RNA, Bacterial/chemistry
- Escherichia coli Proteins/metabolism
- Escherichia coli Proteins/genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal, 23S/metabolism
- RNA, Ribosomal, 23S/genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal, 23S/chemistry
- Ribosome Subunits, Large, Bacterial/metabolism
- Ribosome Subunits, Large, Bacterial/genetics
- DEAD-box RNA Helicases/metabolism
- DEAD-box RNA Helicases/genetics
- Pseudouridine/metabolism
- Ribosomes/metabolism
- Ribosomes/genetics
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyan Narayan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Luis A Gracia Mazuca
- Bioinformatics Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Samuel S Cho
- Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109, United States
- Department of Computer Science, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109, United States
| | - Jonathon E Mohl
- Bioinformatics Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Eda Koculi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
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Abstract
Flagella are important for bacterial motility as well as for pathogenesis. Synthesis of these structures is energy intensive and, while extensive transcriptional regulation has been described, little is known about the posttranscriptional regulation. Small RNAs (sRNAs) are widespread posttranscriptional regulators, most base pairing with mRNAs to affect their stability and/or translation. Here, we describe four UTR-derived sRNAs (UhpU, MotR, FliX and FlgO) whose expression is controlled by the flagella sigma factor σ28 (fliA) in Escherichia coli. Interestingly, the four sRNAs have varied effects on flagellin protein levels, flagella number and cell motility. UhpU, corresponding to the 3´ UTR of a metabolic gene, likely has hundreds of targets including a transcriptional regulator at the top flagella regulatory cascade connecting metabolism and flagella synthesis. Unlike most sRNAs, MotR and FliX base pair within the coding sequences of target mRNAs and act on ribosomal protein mRNAs connecting ribosome production and flagella synthesis. The study shows how sRNA-mediated regulation can overlay a complex network enabling nuanced control of flagella synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Melamed
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Aixia Zhang
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
| | - Michal Jarnik
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
| | - Joshua Mills
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
| | - Aviezer Silverman
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Hongen Zhang
- Bioinformatics and Scientific Computing Core, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
| | - Gisela Storz
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
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40
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Wiegard JC, Damm K, Lechner M, Thölken C, Ngo S, Putzer H, Hartmann RK. Processing and decay of 6S-1 and 6S-2 RNAs in Bacillus subtilis. RNA 2023; 29:1481-1499. [PMID: 37369528 PMCID: PMC10578484 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079666.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Noncoding 6S RNAs regulate transcription by binding to the active site of bacterial RNA polymerase holoenzymes. Processing and decay of 6S-1 and 6S-2 RNA were investigated in Bacillus subtilis by northern blot and RNA-seq analyses using different RNase knockout strains, as well as by in vitro processing assays. For both 6S RNA paralogs, we identified a key-but mechanistically different-role of RNase J1. RNase J1 catalyzes 5'-end maturation of 6S-1 RNA, yet relatively inefficient and possibly via the enzyme's "sliding endonuclease" activity. 5'-end maturation has no detectable effect on 6S-1 RNA function, but rather regulates its decay: The generated 5'-monophosphate on matured 6S-1 RNA propels endonucleolytic cleavage in its apical loop region. The major 6S-2 RNA degradation pathway is initiated by endonucleolytic cleavage in the 5'-central bubble to trigger 5'-to-3'-exoribonucleolytic degradation of the downstream fragment by RNase J1. The four 3'-exonucleases of B. subtilis-RNase R, PNPase, YhaM, and particularly RNase PH-are involved in 3'-end trimming of both 6S RNAs, degradation of 6S-1 RNA fragments, and decay of abortive transcripts (so-called product RNAs, ∼14 nt in length) synthesized on 6S-1 RNA during outgrowth from stationary phase. In the case of the growth-retarded RNase Y deletion strain, we were unable to infer a specific role of RNase Y in 6S RNA decay. Yet, a participation of RNase Y in 6S RNA decay still remains possible, as evidence for such a function may have been obscured by overlapping substrate specificities of RNase Y, RNase J1, and RNase J2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Christin Wiegard
- Philipps-Universität Marburg, Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, D-35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Katrin Damm
- Philipps-Universität Marburg, Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, D-35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Marcus Lechner
- Philipps-Universität Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Bioinformatics Core Facility, D-35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Clemens Thölken
- Philipps-Universität Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Bioinformatics Core Facility, D-35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Saravuth Ngo
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Harald Putzer
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Roland K Hartmann
- Philipps-Universität Marburg, Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, D-35037 Marburg, Germany
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41
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Štih V, Amenitsch H, Plavec J, Podbevšek P. Spatial arrangement of functional domains in OxyS stress response sRNA. RNA 2023; 29:1520-1534. [PMID: 37380360 PMCID: PMC10578473 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079618.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Small noncoding RNAs are an important class of regulatory RNAs in bacteria, often regulating responses to changes in environmental conditions. OxyS is a 110 nt, stable, trans-encoded small RNA found in Escherichia coli and is induced by an increased concentration of hydrogen peroxide. OxyS has an important regulatory role in cell stress response, affecting the expression of multiple genes. In this work, we investigated the structure of OxyS and the interaction with fhlA mRNA using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and unbiased molecular dynamics simulations. We determined the secondary structures of isolated stem-loops and confirmed their structural integrity in OxyS. Unexpectedly, stem-loop SL4 was identified in the region that was predicted to be unstructured. Three-dimensional models of OxyS demonstrate that OxyS adopts an extended structure with four solvent-exposed stem-loops, which are available for interaction with other RNAs and proteins. Furthermore, we provide evidence of base-pairing between OxyS and fhlA mRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vesna Štih
- Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Heinz Amenitsch
- Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Janez Plavec
- Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Peter Podbevšek
- Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Abstract
Small regulatory RNA (sRNAs) are key mediators of posttranscriptional gene control in bacteria. Assisted by RNA-binding proteins, a single sRNA often modulates the expression of dozens of genes, and thus sRNAs frequently adopt central roles in regulatory networks. Posttranscriptional regulation by sRNAs comes with several unique features that cannot be achieved by transcriptional regulators. However, for optimal network performance, transcriptional and posttranscriptional control mechanisms typically go hand-in-hand. This view is reflected by the ever-growing class of mixed network motifs involving sRNAs and transcription factors, which are ubiquitous in biology and whose regulatory properties we are beginning to understand. In addition, sRNA activity can be antagonized by base-pairing with sponge RNAs, adding yet another layer of complexity to these networks. In this article, we summarize the regulatory concepts underlying sRNA-mediated gene control in bacteria and discuss how sRNAs shape the output of a network, focusing on several key examples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Papenfort
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany;
- Microverse Cluster, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Sahar Melamed
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel;
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43
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Jolley EA, Yakhnin H, Tack DC, Babitzke P, Bevilacqua PC. Transcriptome-wide probing reveals RNA thermometers that regulate translation of glycerol permease genes in Bacillus subtilis. RNA 2023; 29:1365-1378. [PMID: 37217261 PMCID: PMC10573289 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079652.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
RNA structure regulates bacterial gene expression by several distinct mechanisms via environmental and cellular stimuli, one of which is temperature. While some genome-wide studies have focused on heat shock treatments and the subsequent transcriptomic changes, soil bacteria are less likely to experience such rapid and extreme temperature changes. Though RNA thermometers (RNATs) have been found in 5' untranslated leader regions (5' UTRs) of heat shock and virulence-associated genes, this RNA-controlled mechanism could regulate other genes as well. Using Structure-seq2 and the chemical probe dimethyl sulfate (DMS) at four growth temperatures ranging from 23°C to 42°C, we captured a dynamic response of the Bacillus subtilis transcriptome to temperature. Our transcriptome-wide results show RNA structural changes across all four temperatures and reveal nonmonotonic reactivity trends with increasing temperature. Then, focusing on subregions likely to contain regulatory RNAs, we examined 5' UTRs to identify large, local reactivity changes. This approach led to the discovery of RNATs that control the expression of glpF (glycerol permease) and glpT (glycerol-3-phosphate permease); expression of both genes increased with increased temperature. Results with mutant RNATs indicate that both genes are controlled at the translational level. Increased import of glycerols at high temperatures could provide thermoprotection to proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Jolley
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Helen Yakhnin
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - David C Tack
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Paul Babitzke
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Philip C Bevilacqua
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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44
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Khodak YA, Shaifutdinov RR, Khasanov DS, Orlova NA, Vorobiev II. Location and Orientation of the Genetic Toxin-Antitoxin Element hok/sok in the Plasmid Affect Expression of Pharmaceutically Significant Proteins in Bacterial Cells. Biochemistry (Mosc) 2023; 88:1326-1337. [PMID: 37770399 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297923090122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Genetic toxin-antitoxin element hok/sok from the natural Escherichia coli R1 plasmid ensures segregational stability of plasmids. Bacterial cells that have lost all copies of the plasmid encoding the short-lived antitoxin are killed by the stable toxin. When introduced into bacterial expression vectors, the hok/sok element can increase the productive time of recombinant protein biosynthesis by slowing down accumulation of non-producing cells lacking the expression plasmid. In this work, we studied the effects of position and orientation of the hok/sok element in the standard pET28a plasmid with the inducible T7lac promoter and kanamycin resistance gene. It was found that the hok/sok element retained its functional activity regardless of its location and orientation in the plasmid. Bacterial cells retained the hok/sok-containing plasmids after four days of cultivation without antibiotics, while the control plasmid without this element was lost. Using three target proteins - E. coli type II asparaginase (ASN), human growth hormone (HGH), and SARS-CoV-2 virus nucleoprotein (NP) - it was demonstrated that the maximum productivity of bacteria for the cytoplasmic proteins (HGH and NP) was observed only when the hok/sok element was placed upstream of the target gene promoter. In the case of periplasmic protein localization (ASN), the productivity of bacteria during cultivation with the antibiotic decreased for all variants of the hok/sok location. When the bacteria were cultivated without the antibiotic, the productivity was better preserved when the hok/sok element was located upstream of the target gene promoter. The use of the pEHU vector with the upstream location of the hok/sok element allowed to more than double the yield of HGH (produced as inclusion bodies) in the absence of antibiotic and to maintain ASN biosynthesis at the level of at least 10 mg/liter for four days during cultivation without antibiotics. The developed segregation-stabilized plasmid vectors can be used to obtain various recombinant proteins in E. coli cells without the use of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia A Khodak
- Institute of Bioengineering, Federal Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117312, Russia
| | - Rolan R Shaifutdinov
- Institute of Bioengineering, Federal Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117312, Russia
| | - Danila S Khasanov
- Institute of Bioengineering, Federal Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117312, Russia
| | - Nadezhda A Orlova
- Institute of Bioengineering, Federal Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117312, Russia
| | - Ivan I Vorobiev
- Institute of Bioengineering, Federal Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117312, Russia.
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Allouche D, Kostova G, Hamon M, Marchand CH, Caron M, Belhocine S, Christol N, Charteau V, Condon C, Durand S. New RoxS sRNA Targets Identified in Bacillus subtilis by Pulsed SILAC. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0047123. [PMID: 37338392 PMCID: PMC10433868 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00471-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (sRNA) play a key role in controlling gene expression in bacteria, typically by base-pairing with ribosome binding sites to block translation. The modification of ribosome traffic along the mRNA generally affects its stability. However, a few cases have been described in bacteria where sRNAs can affect translation without a major impact on mRNA stability. To identify new sRNA targets in Bacillus subtilis potentially belonging to this class of mRNAs, we used pulsed-SILAC (stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture) to label newly synthesized proteins after short expression of the RoxS sRNA, the best characterized sRNA in this bacterium. RoxS sRNA was previously shown to interfere with the expression of genes involved in central metabolism, permitting control of the NAD+/NADH ratio in B. subtilis. In this study, we confirmed most of the known targets of RoxS, showing the efficiency of the method. We further expanded the number of mRNA targets encoding enzymes of the TCA cycle and identified new targets. One of these is YcsA, a tartrate dehydrogenase that uses NAD+ as co-factor, in excellent agreement with the proposed role of RoxS in management of NAD+/NADH ratio in Firmicutes. IMPORTANCE Non-coding RNAs (sRNA) play an important role in bacterial adaptation and virulence. The identification of the most complete set of targets for these regulatory RNAs is key to fully identifying the perimeter of its function(s). Most sRNAs modify both the translation (directly) and mRNA stability (indirectly) of their targets. However, sRNAs can also influence the translation efficiency of the target primarily, with little or no impact on mRNA stability. The characterization of these targets is challenging. We describe here the application of the pulsed SILAC method to identify such targets and obtain the most complete list of targets for a defined sRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Allouche
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
| | - Gergana Kostova
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
| | - Marion Hamon
- FR550, CNRS, Plateforme de Protéomique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
| | - Christophe H. Marchand
- FR550, CNRS, Plateforme de Protéomique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
- CNRS, UMR7238, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Paris, France
| | - Mathias Caron
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
| | - Sihem Belhocine
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
| | - Ninon Christol
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
| | - Violette Charteau
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
| | - Ciarán Condon
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
| | - Sylvain Durand
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
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Shi M, Ye J, Fan F, Zhao F, Zhong X, Zhong Z, Wang H, Wang Z, Yang M. Precisely Controlling Csr sRNA Levels by MshH Enhances Vibrio cholerae Colonization in Adult Mice. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0056123. [PMID: 37404138 PMCID: PMC10370335 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00561-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent of cholera. Effective intestinal colonization is a key step for V. cholerae pathogenicity and transmission. In this study, we found that deleting mshH, a homolog of the Escherichia coli CsrD protein, caused a V. cholerae colonization defect in the intestine of adult mice. By analyzing the RNA levels of CsrB, CsrC, and CsrD, we found that deleting mshH increased the levels of CsrB and CsrD but decreased the level of CsrC. However, deleting CsrB and -D not only recovered the mshH deletion mutant colonization defect but also recovered CsrC to wild-type levels. These results indicated that controlling the RNA levels of CsrB, -C, and -D is crucial for V. cholerae colonization of adult mice. We further demonstrated that the RNA levels of CsrB and CsrD were mainly controlled by MshH-dependent degradation, yet the level of CsrC was mainly determined by the CsrA-dependent stabilization. Our data show that V. cholerae differentially controls CsrB, -C, and -D abundance through the MshH-CsrB/C/D-CsrA regulatory pathway to finely regulate the activity of CsrA targets such as ToxR, so as to better survive in adult mouse intestine. IMPORTANCE The ability of V. cholerae to colonize the intestine is a key factor for its fitness and transmissibility between hosts. Here, we investigated the mechanism of V. cholerae colonization of adult mammal intestine and found that precisely controlling the CsrB, -C, and -D contents by MshH and CsrA plays an essential role for V. cholerae colonization in the adult mouse intestine. These data expand our knowledge on the mechanism of V. cholerae controlling the RNA level of CsrB, -C, and -D and highlight the importance that the different strategies used by V. cholerae to regulate the RNA level of CsrB, -C, and -D confer the bacterium with a survival advantage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Shi
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection and Internet Technology, College of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinjie Ye
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection and Internet Technology, College of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fenxia Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Feifei Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection and Internet Technology, College of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaojun Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection and Internet Technology, College of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zengtao Zhong
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hui Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhengjia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Menghua Yang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection and Internet Technology, College of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Inlow K, Tenenbaum D, Friedman LJ, Kondev J, Gelles J. Recycling of bacterial RNA polymerase by the Swi2/Snf2 ATPase RapA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2303849120. [PMID: 37406096 PMCID: PMC10334767 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303849120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Free-living bacteria have regulatory systems that can quickly reprogram gene transcription in response to changes in the cellular environment. The RapA ATPase, a prokaryotic homolog of the eukaryotic Swi2/Snf2 chromatin remodeling complex, may facilitate such reprogramming, but the mechanisms by which it does so are unclear. We used multiwavelength single-molecule fluorescence microscopy in vitro to examine RapA function in the Escherichia coli transcription cycle. In our experiments, RapA at <5 nM concentration did not appear to alter transcription initiation, elongation, or intrinsic termination. Instead, we directly observed a single RapA molecule bind specifically to the kinetically stable post termination complex (PTC)-consisting of core RNA polymerase (RNAP)-bound sequence nonspecifically to double-stranded DNA-and efficiently remove RNAP from DNA within seconds in an ATP-hydrolysis-dependent reaction. Kinetic analysis elucidates the process through which RapA locates the PTC and the key mechanistic intermediates that bind and hydrolyze ATP. This study defines how RapA participates in the transcription cycle between termination and initiation and suggests that RapA helps set the balance between global RNAP recycling and local transcription reinitiation in proteobacterial genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koe Inlow
- Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA02453
| | | | | | - Jane Kondev
- Department of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA02453
| | - Jeff Gelles
- Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA02453
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Paraan M, Nasef M, Chou-Zheng L, Khweis SA, Schoeffler AJ, Hatoum-Aslan A, Stagg SM, Dunkle JA. The structure of a Type III-A CRISPR-Cas effector complex reveals conserved and idiosyncratic contacts to target RNA and crRNA among Type III-A systems. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287461. [PMID: 37352230 PMCID: PMC10289348 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Type III CRISPR-Cas systems employ multiprotein effector complexes bound to small CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) to detect foreign RNA transcripts and elicit a complex immune response that leads to the destruction of invading RNA and DNA. Type III systems are among the most widespread in nature, and emerging interest in harnessing these systems for biotechnology applications highlights the need for detailed structural analyses of representatives from diverse organisms. We performed cryo-EM reconstructions of the Type III-A Cas10-Csm effector complex from S. epidermidis bound to an intact, cognate target RNA and identified two oligomeric states, a 276 kDa complex and a 318 kDa complex. 3.1 Å density for the well-ordered 276 kDa complex allowed construction of atomic models for the Csm2, Csm3, Csm4 and Csm5 subunits within the complex along with the crRNA and target RNA. We also collected small-angle X-ray scattering data which was consistent with the 276 kDa Cas10-Csm architecture we identified. Detailed comparisons between the S. epidermidis Cas10-Csm structure and the well-resolved bacterial (S. thermophilus) and archaeal (T. onnurineus) Cas10-Csm structures reveal differences in how the complexes interact with target RNA and crRNA which are likely to have functional ramifications. These structural comparisons shed light on the unique features of Type III-A systems from diverse organisms and will assist in improving biotechnologies derived from Type III-A effector complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadreza Paraan
- National Center for In-situ Tomographic Ultramicroscopy, Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Mohamed Nasef
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States of America
| | - Lucy Chou-Zheng
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, United States of America
| | - Sarah A. Khweis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States of America
| | - Allyn J. Schoeffler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Asma Hatoum-Aslan
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, United States of America
| | - Scott M. Stagg
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States of America
| | - Jack A. Dunkle
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States of America
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49
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Schilder A, Görke B. Role of the 5' end phosphorylation state for small RNA stability and target RNA regulation in bacteria. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:5125-5143. [PMID: 36987877 PMCID: PMC10250213 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In enteric bacteria, several small RNAs (sRNAs) including MicC employ endoribonuclease RNase E to stimulate target RNA decay. A current model proposes that interaction of the sRNA 5' monophosphate (5'P) with the N-terminal sensing pocket of RNase E allosterically activates cleavage of the base-paired target in the active site. In vivo evidence supporting this model is lacking. Here, we engineered a genetic tool allowing us to generate 5' monophosphorylated sRNAs of choice in a controllable manner in the cell. Four sRNAs were tested and none performed better in target destabilization when 5' monophosphorylated. MicC retains full activity even when RNase E is defective in 5'P sensing, whereas regulation is lost upon removal of its scaffolding domain. Interestingly, sRNAs MicC and RyhB that originate with a 5' triphosphate group are dramatically destabilized when 5' monophosphorylated, but stable when in 5' triphosphorylated form. In contrast, the processing-derived sRNAs CpxQ and SroC, which carry 5'P groups naturally, are highly stable. Thus, the 5' phosphorylation state determines stability of naturally triphosphorylated sRNAs, but plays no major role for target RNA destabilization in vivo. In contrast, the RNase E C-terminal half is crucial for MicC-mediated ompD decay, suggesting that interaction with Hfq is mandatory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Schilder
- Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Boris Görke
- Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
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50
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Wu W, Pang CNI, Tree JJ, Mediati DG. Profiling the in vivo RNA interactome associated with the endoribonuclease RNase III in Staphylococcus aureus. Methods Enzymol 2023; 692:299-324. [PMID: 37925184 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory small RNA (sRNA) have been extensively studied in model Gram-negative bacteria, but the functional characterisation of these post-transcriptional gene regulators in Gram-positives remains a major challenge. Our previous work in enterohaemorrhagic E. coli utilised the proximity-dependant ligation technique termed CLASH (UV-crosslinking, ligation, and sequencing of hybrids) for direct high-throughput sequencing of the regulatory sRNA-RNA interactions within the cell. Recently, we adapted the CLASH technique and demonstrated that UV-crosslinking and RNA proximity-dependant ligation can be applied to Staphylococcus aureus, which uncovered the first RNA-RNA interaction network in a Gram-positive bacterium. In this chapter, we describe modifications to the CLASH technique that were developed to capture the RNA interactome associated with the double-stranded endoribonuclease RNase III in two clinical isolates of S. aureus. To briefly summarise our CLASH methodology, regulatory RNA-RNA interactions were first UV-crosslinked in vivo to the RNase III protein and protein-RNA complexes were affinity-purified using the His6-TEV-FLAG tags. Linkers were ligated to RNase III-bound RNA during library preparation and duplexed RNA-RNA species were ligated together to form a single contiguous RNA 'hybrid'. The RNase III-RNA binding sites and RNA-RNA interactions occurring on RNase III (RNA hybrids) were then identified by paired-end sequencing technology. RNase III-CLASH represents a step towards a systems-level understanding of regulatory RNA in Gram-positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winton Wu
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Chi Nam Ignatius Pang
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Jai J Tree
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Daniel G Mediati
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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