Dataset Information

Transcriptional analysis of the conserved ftsZ gene cluster in Mycoplasma genitalium and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

ABSTRACT: Several experimental approaches were used to construct a detailed transcriptional profile of the phylogenetically conserved ftsZ cell division gene cluster in both Mycoplasma genitalium and its closest relative, Mycoplasma pneumoniae. We determined initiation and termination points for the cluster, as well as an absolute steady-state RNA level for each gene. Transcription of this cluster in both these organisms was shown to be highly strand specific. While the four genes in this cluster are cotranscribed, their transcription unit also includes two genes of close proximity yet disparate function. A transcription initiation point immediately upstream of these two genes was detected in M. genitalium but not M. pneumoniae. In M. pneumoniae, transcription of the six genes terminates at a poly(U)-tailed hairpin. In M. genitalium, this transcription terminates at two closely spaced points by an unknown mechanism. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR analysis of this cluster in M. pneumoniae shows that mRNA levels for all six genes vary at most fivefold and form a gradient of decreasing quantity with increasing distance from the promoter at the beginning of the cluster. mRNA from coding regions was approximately 20- to 100-fold more abundant than that from intergenic regions. We estimated the most abundant mRNA we detected at 0.6 copy per cell. We conclude that groups of functionally related genes in M. genitalium and M. pneumoniae are often preceded by promoters but rarely followed by terminators. This causes functionally unrelated genes to be commonly cotranscribed in these organisms.

SUBMITTER: Benders GA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1151755 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Transcriptional analysis of the conserved ftsZ gene cluster in Mycoplasma genitalium and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Benders Gwynedd A GA Powell Bradford C BC Hutchison Clyde A CA

Journal of bacteriology 20050701 13

Several experimental approaches were used to construct a detailed transcriptional profile of the phylogenetically conserved ftsZ cell division gene cluster in both Mycoplasma genitalium and its closest relative, Mycoplasma pneumoniae. We determined initiation and termination points for the cluster, as well as an absolute steady-state RNA level for each gene. Transcription of this cluster in both these organisms was shown to be highly strand specific. While the four genes in this cluster are cotr ...[more]

PMID: 15968065

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Project description:The discovery of small open reading frames (smORFs) encoding for polypeptides (SEPs; <100aa) highlights that the coding capacity of the genomes has been underestimated. Most ORF-finding algorithms have historically set a minimum threshold length of 100 aa. As consequence, some transcripts encoding for SEPs, were erroneously discarded or classified as non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). With this experiments we try to experimentally assess the existence and complexity of these small proteins. The experimental design includes: After growing each Mycoplasma for 6h at 37°C, cells were washed twice with PBS and lysed with 700 µl of Qiazol buffer. Then, samples were lysed with 700 µl of Qiazol buffer. RNA extractions were performed by using the miRNeasy mini Kit (Qiagen) following the instructions of the manufacturer. Libraries for RNA-seq were prepared following directional RNA-seq library preparation and sequencing. Briefly, 1 µg of total RNA was fragmented to ~100-150 nt using NEB Next Magnesium RNA Fragmentation Module (ref. E6150S, NEB). Treatments with Antarctic phosphatase (ref. M0289S, NEB) and PNK (ref. M0201S, NEB) were performed in order to make the 5’ and 3’ ends of the RNA available for adapter ligation. Samples were further processed using the TruSeq small RNA Sample Prep Kit (ref. RS-200-0012, Illumina) according to the manufacturer's protocol. In summary, 3’ adapters and subsequently 5’ adapters were ligated to the RNA. cDNA was synthesized using reverse transcriptase (SuperScript II, ref. 18064-014, Invitrogen) and a specific primer (RNA RT Primer) complementary to the 3’ RNA adapter. cDNA was further amplified by PCR using indexed adapters supplied in the kit. Finally, size selection of the libraries was performed using 6% Novex® TBE Gels (ref. EC6265BOX, Life Technologies). Fragments with insert sizes of 100 to 130 bp were cut from the gel, and cDNA was precipitated and eluted in 10 µl of elution buffer. Double-stranded templates were cluster amplified and sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2000.

Dataset Information

Transcriptional analysis of the conserved ftsZ gene cluster in Mycoplasma genitalium and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Publications

Transcriptional analysis of the conserved ftsZ gene cluster in Mycoplasma genitalium and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Similar Datasets

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