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RNase Y of Staphylococcus aureus and its role in the activation of virulence genes
Author(s) -
Marincola Gabriella,
Schäfer Tina,
Behler Juliane,
Bernhardt Jörg,
Ohlsen Knut,
Goerke Christiane,
Wolz Christiane
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2012.08144.x
Subject(s) - virulence , rnase p , biology , operon , mutant , rnase mrp , gene , staphylococcus aureus , ribonuclease iii , bacillus subtilis , gene expression , messenger rna , regulation of gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , rna , bacteria , rna interference
Summary RNase Y of Bacillus subtilis is a key member of the degradosome and important for bulk mRNA turnover. In contrast to B. subtilis , the RNase Y homologue ( rny/cvfA ) of Staphylococcus aureus is not essential for growth . Here we found that RNase Y plays a major role in virulence gene regulation. Accordingly, rny deletion mutants demonstrated impaired virulence in a murine bacteraemia model. RNase Y is important for the processing and stabilization of the immature transcript of the global virulence regulator system SaePQRS. Moreover, RNase Y is involved in the activation of virulence gene expression at the promoter level. This control is independent of both the virulence regulator agr and the saePQRS processing and may be mediated by small RNAs some of which were shown to be degraded by RNase Y. Besides this regulatory effect, mRNA levels of several operons were significantly increased in the rny mutant and the half‐life of one of these operons was shown to be extremely extended. However, the half‐life of many mRNA species was not significantly altered. Thus, RNase Y in S. aureus influences mRNA expression in a tightly controlled regulatory manner and is essential for coordinated activation of virulence genes.