The PAPI-1 pathogenicity island-encoded small RNA PesA influences Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence and modulates pyocin S3 production.

ABSTRACT: Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression that have been recognized as key contributors to bacterial virulence and pathogenic mechanisms. In this study, we characterized the sRNA PesA of the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We show that PesA, which is transcribed within the pathogenicity island PAPI-1 of P. aeruginosa strain PA14, contributes to P. aeruginosa PA14 virulence. In fact, pesA gene deletion resulted in a less pathogenic strain, showing higher survival of cystic fibrosis human bronchial epithelial cells after infection. Moreover, we show that PesA influences positively the expression of pyocin S3 whose genetic locus comprises two structural genes, pyoS3A and pyoS3I, encoding the killing S3A and the immunity S3I prote

SUBMITTER: Ferrara S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5493400 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature