Post-transcriptional activation of a diguanylate cyclase by quorum sensing small RNAs promotes biofilm formation in Vibrio cholerae.

ABSTRACT: Biofilms promote attachment of Vibrio cholerae in aquatic ecosystems and aid in transmission. Intracellular c-di-GMP levels that control biofilm development positively correlate with expression of Qrr sRNAs, which are transcribed when quorum sensing (QS) autoinducer levels are low. The Qrr sRNAs base-pair with and repress translation of hapR encoding the QS 'master regulator', hence increased c-di-GMP and biofilm development at low density were believed to be solely a consequence of Qrr/hapR pairing. We show that Qrr sRNAs also base-pair with and activate translation of the mRNA of a diguanylate cyclase (DGC), Vca0939; relieving an inhibitory structure in vca0939 that occludes the ribosome binding site. A nucleotide substitution in vca0939 disrupted sRNA/mRNA base-pairing and prevented vca

SUBMITTER: Zhao X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3807870 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature