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ABSTRACT: Purpose
Adherence capacity is one of the principal virulence factors of Streptococcus mutans, and adhesion virulence factors are controlled by small RNAs (sRNAs) at the post-transcriptional level in various bacteria. Here, we aimed to identify and decipher putative adhesion-related sRNAs in clinical strains of S. mutans.Methodology
RNA deep-sequencing was performed to identify potential sRNAs under different adhesion conditions. The expression of sRNAs was analysed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and bioinformatic methods were used to predict the functional characteristics of sRNAs.Results
A total of 736 differentially expressed candidate sRNAs were predicted, and these included 352 sRNAs located on the antisense to mRNA (AM) and 384 sRNAs in intergenic regions (IGRs). The top 7 differentially expressed sRNAs were successfully validated by qRT-PCR in UA159, and 2 of these were further confirmed in 100 clinical isolates. Moreover, the sequences of two sRNAs were conserved in other Streptococcus species, indicating a conserved role in such closely related species. A good correlation between the expression of sRNAs and the adhesion of 100 clinical strains was observed, which, combined with GO and KEGG, provides a perspective for the comprehension of sRNA function annotation.Conclusion
This study revealed a multitude of novel putative adhesion-related sRNAs in S. mutans and contributed to a better understanding of information concerning the transcriptional regulation of adhesion in S. mutans.
SUBMITTER: Zhu W
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5994696 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Zhu Wenhui W Liu Shanshan S Liu Jia J Zhou Yan Y Lin Huancai H
Journal of medical microbiology 20180329 5
<h4>Purpose</h4>Adherence capacity is one of the principal virulence factors of Streptococcus mutans, and adhesion virulence factors are controlled by small RNAs (sRNAs) at the post-transcriptional level in various bacteria. Here, we aimed to identify and decipher putative adhesion-related sRNAs in clinical strains of S. mutans.<h4>Methodology</h4>RNA deep-sequencing was performed to identify potential sRNAs under different adhesion conditions. The expression of sRNAs was analysed by quantitativ ...[more]