A-to-I mRNA editing in bacteria can affect protein sequence, disulfide bond formation, and function.

ABSTRACT: Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) mRNA editing can alter genetic information at the RNA level and is known to affect protein sequence and function in eukaryotes. However, the ability of A-to-I mRNA editing to recode protein sequences in bacteria was never shown at the protein level. Furthermore, the effect of A-to-I mRNA editing itself-not by A-to-G DNA-mimicking mutations-on protein function was never demonstrated in bacteria. Here, we show at the RNA and protein levels that A-to-I mRNA editing directly recodes a tyrosine to a cysteine residue in the toxin HokB (part of the HokB/sokB toxin-antitoxin system in Escherichia coli). Consequently, the toxicity of edited HokB increases, inducing bacterial death or early entrance into the stationary phase, depending on its expression level. Furthermo

SUBMITTER: Didi L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12214031 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature