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The hmsT 3′ untranslated region mediates c‐di‐GMP metabolism and biofilm formation in Y ersinia pestis
Author(s) -
Zhu Hui,
Mao XuJian,
Guo XiaoPeng,
Sun YiCheng
Publication year - 2016
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/mmi.13301
Subject(s) - biology , biofilm , untranslated region , messenger rna , three prime untranslated region , yersinia pestis , five prime untranslated region , gene , gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , virulence , bacteria
Summary Yersinia pestis , the cause of plague, forms a biofilm in the proventriculus of its flea vector to enhance transmission. Biofilm formation in Y. pestis is regulated by the intracellular levels of cyclic diguanylate (c‐di‐GMP). In this study, we investigated the role of the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) in hmsT mRNA, a transcript that encodes a diguanylate cyclase that stimulates biofilm formation in Y. pestis by synthesizing the second messenger c‐di‐GMP. Deletion of the 3′UTR increased the half‐life of hmsT mRNA, thereby upregulating c‐di‐GMP levels and biofilm formation. Our findings indicate that multiple regulatory sequences might be present in the hmsT 3′UTR that function together to mediate mRNA turnover. We also found that polynucleotide phosphorylase is partially responsible for hmsT 3′UTR‐mediated mRNA decay. In addition, the hmsT 3′UTR strongly repressed gene expression at 37°C and 26°C, but affected gene expression only slightly at 21°C. Our findings suggest that the 3′UTR might be involved in precise and rapid regulation of hmsT expression, allowing Y. pestis to fine‐tune c‐di‐GMP synthesis and consequently regulate biofilm production to adapt to the changing host environment.