Methionine biosynthesis in Staphylococcus aureus is tightly controlled by a hierarchical network involving an initiator tRNA-specific T-box riboswitch.

ABSTRACT: In line with the key role of methionine in protein biosynthesis initiation and many cellular processes most microorganisms have evolved mechanisms to synthesize methionine de novo. Here we demonstrate that, in the bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, a rare combination of stringent response-controlled CodY activity, T-box riboswitch and mRNA decay mechanisms regulate the synthesis and stability of methionine biosynthesis metICFE-mdh mRNA. In contrast to other Bacillales which employ S-box riboswitches to control methionine biosynthesis, the S. aureus metICFE-mdh mRNA is preceded by a 5'-untranslated met leader RNA harboring a T-box riboswitch. Interestingly, this T-box riboswitch is revealed to specifically interact with uncharged initiator formylmethionyl-tRNA (tRNAi(fMet)) while bin

SUBMITTER: Schoenfelder SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3771891 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature