An upstream Hfq binding site in the fhlA mRNA leader region facilitates the OxyS-fhlA interaction.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To survive, bacteria must be able to adapt to environmental stresses. Small regulatory RNAs have been implicated as intermediates in a variety of stress-response pathways allowing dynamic gene regulation. The RNA binding protein Hfq facilitates this process in many cases, helping sRNAs base pair with their target mRNAs and initiate gene regulation. Although Hfq has been identified as a critical component in many RNPs, the manner by which Hfq controls these interactions is not known.

Methodology/principal findings

To test the requirement of Hfq in these mRNA-sRNA complexes, the OxyS-fhlA system was used as a model. OxyS is induced in response to oxidative stress and down regulates the translation of fhlA, a gene encoding a transcriptional activator for formate meta

SUBMITTER: Salim NN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2946933 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature