Structure and mechanism of a molecular rheostat, an RNA thermometer that modulates immune evasion by Neisseria meningitidis.

ABSTRACT: Neisseria meningitidis causes bacterial meningitis and septicemia. It evades the host complement system by upregulating expression of immune evasion factors in response to changes in temperature. RNA thermometers within mRNAs control expression of bacterial immune evasion factors, including CssA, in the 5'-untranslated region of the operon for capsule biosynthesis. We dissect the molecular mechanisms of thermoregulation and report the structure of the CssA thermometer. We show that the RNA thermometer acts as a rheostat, whose stability is optimized to respond in a small temperature range around 37°C as occur within the upper airways during infection. Small increases in temperature gradually open up the structure to allow progressively increased access to the ribosome binding site. Even sm

SUBMITTER: Barnwal RP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5100586 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature