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CspR, a cold shock RNA-binding protein involved in the long-term survival and the virulence of Enterococcus faecalis.

ABSTRACT: By coprecipitation, we identified RNA-binding proteins in the Gram-positive opportunistic pathogen Enterococcus faecalis known to be deficient of the RNA chaperone Hfq. In particular, we characterized one belonging to the cold shock protein (Csp) family (Ef2925) renamed CspR for cold shock protein RNA binding. Compared to the wild-type strain, the ?cspR mutant was less virulent in an insect infection model (Galleria mellonella) and exhibited a decreased persistence in mouse kidneys and a low survival rate in peritoneal macrophages. As expected, we found that the ?cspR mutant strain was more impaired in its growth than the parental strain under cold conditions and in its long-term survival under nutrient starvation. All these phenotypes were restored after complementation of the ?cspR mutant. In addition, Western blot analysis showed that CspR was overexpressed under cold shock conditions and in the stationary phase. Since CspR may act as an RNA chaperone, putative targets were identified using a global proteomic approach completed with transcriptomic assays. This study revealed that 19 proteins were differentially expressed in the ?cspR strain (9 upregulated, 10 downregulated) and that CspR mainly acted at the posttranscriptional level. These data highlight for the first time the role of the RNA-binding protein CspR as a regulator in E. faecalis and its requirement in stress response and virulence in this important human pathogen.

SUBMITTER: Michaux C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3510560 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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CspR, a cold shock RNA-binding protein involved in the long-term survival and the virulence of Enterococcus faecalis.

Michaux Charlotte C Martini Cecilia C Shioya Koki K Ahmed Lecheheb Sandra S Budin-Verneuil Aurélie A Cosette Pascal P Sanguinetti Maurizio M Hartke Axel A Verneuil Nicolas N Giard Jean-Christophe JC

Journal of bacteriology 20121019 24

By coprecipitation, we identified RNA-binding proteins in the Gram-positive opportunistic pathogen Enterococcus faecalis known to be deficient of the RNA chaperone Hfq. In particular, we characterized one belonging to the cold shock protein (Csp) family (Ef2925) renamed CspR for cold shock protein RNA binding. Compared to the wild-type strain, the ΔcspR mutant was less virulent in an insect infection model (Galleria mellonella) and exhibited a decreased persistence in mouse kidneys and a low sur ...[more]

PMID: 23086208

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Dataset Information

CspR, a cold shock RNA-binding protein involved in the long-term survival and the virulence of Enterococcus faecalis.

Publications

CspR, a cold shock RNA-binding protein involved in the long-term survival and the virulence of Enterococcus faecalis.

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