Genome-wide profiling of Hfq-binding RNAs uncovers extensive post-transcriptional rewiring of major stress response and symbiotic regulons in Sinorhizobium meliloti.

ABSTRACT: The RNA chaperone Hfq is a global post-transcriptional regulator in bacteria. Here, we used RNAseq to analyze RNA populations from the legume symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti that were co-immunoprecipitated (CoIP-RNA) with a FLAG-tagged Hfq in five growth/stress conditions. Hfq-bound transcripts (1315) were largely identified in stressed bacteria and derived from small RNAs (sRNAs), both trans-encoded (6.4%) and antisense (asRNAs; 6.3%), and mRNAs (86%). Pull-down with Hfq recovered a small proportion of annotated S. meliloti sRNAs (14% of trans-sRNAs and 2% of asRNAs) suggesting a discrete impact of this protein in sRNA pathways. Nonetheless, Hfq selectively stabilized CoIP-enriched sRNAs, anticipating that these interactions are functionally significant. Transcription of 26 Hfq-bound sRNA

SUBMITTER: Torres-Quesada O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4152363 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature