Dataset Information

The essential function of B. subtilis RNase III is to silence foreign toxin genes.

ABSTRACT: RNase III-related enzymes play key roles in cleaving double-stranded RNA in many biological systems. Among the best-known are RNase III itself, involved in ribosomal RNA maturation and mRNA turnover in bacteria, and Drosha and Dicer, which play critical roles in the production of micro (mi)-RNAs and small interfering (si)-RNAs in eukaryotes. Although RNase III has important cellular functions in bacteria, its gene is generally not essential, with the remarkable exception of that of Bacillus subtilis. Here we show that the essential role of RNase III in this organism is to protect it from the expression of toxin genes borne by two prophages, Skin and SP?, through antisense RNA. Thus, while a growing number of organisms that use RNase III or its homologs as part of a viral defense mechanism, B. subtilis requires RNase III for viral accommodation to the point where the presence of the enzyme is essential for cell survival. We identify txpA and yonT as the two toxin-encoding mRNAs of Skin and SP? that are sensitive to RNase III. We further explore the mechanism of RNase III-mediated decay of the txpA mRNA when paired to its antisense RNA RatA, both in vivo and in vitro.

SUBMITTER: Durand S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3531473 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The essential function of B. subtilis RNase III is to silence foreign toxin genes.

Durand Sylvain S Gilet Laetitia L Condon Ciarán C

PLoS genetics 20121227 12

RNase III-related enzymes play key roles in cleaving double-stranded RNA in many biological systems. Among the best-known are RNase III itself, involved in ribosomal RNA maturation and mRNA turnover in bacteria, and Drosha and Dicer, which play critical roles in the production of micro (mi)-RNAs and small interfering (si)-RNAs in eukaryotes. Although RNase III has important cellular functions in bacteria, its gene is generally not essential, with the remarkable exception of that of Bacillus subt ...[more]

PMID: 23300471

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Project description:Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen that employs a type III secretion system (T3SS) to inject effector proteins into host cells. Using a protein depletion system, we show that the endoribonuclease RNase E positively regulates expression of the T3SS genes. We also present evidence that RNase E antagonizes the expression of genes of the type VI secretion system and limits biofilm production in P. aeruginosa Thus, RNase E, which is thought to be the principal endoribonuclease involved in the initiation of RNA degradation in P. aeruginosa, plays a key role in controlling the production of factors involved in both acute and chronic stages of infection. Although the posttranscriptional regulator RsmA is also known to positively regulate expression of the T3SS genes, we find that RNase E does not appreciably influence the abundance of RsmA in P. aeruginosa Moreover, we show that RNase E still exerts its effects on T3SS gene expression in cells lacking all four of the key small regulatory RNAs that function by sequestering RsmA.IMPORTANCE The type III secretion system (T3SS) is a protein complex produced by many Gram-negative pathogens. It is capable of injecting effector proteins into host cells that can manipulate cell metabolism and have toxic effects. Understanding how the T3SS is regulated is important in understanding the pathogenesis of bacteria with such systems. Here, we show that RNase E, which is typically thought of as a global regulator of RNA stability, plays a role in regulating the T3SS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Depleting RNase E results in the loss of T3SS gene expression as well as a concomitant increase in biofilm formation. These observations are reminiscent of the phenotypes associated with the loss of activity of the posttranscriptional regulator RsmA. However, RNase E-mediated regulation of these systems does not involve changes in the abundance of RsmA and is independent of the known small regulatory RNAs that modulate RsmA activity.

Dataset Information

The essential function of B. subtilis RNase III is to silence foreign toxin genes.

Publications

The essential function of B. subtilis RNase III is to silence foreign toxin genes.

Similar Datasets

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