Small RNA F6 Provides <i>Mycobacterium smegmatis</i> Entry into Dormancy
Regulatory small non-coding RNAs play a significant role in bacterial adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Various stresses such as hypoxia and nutrient starvation cause a reduction in the metabolic activity of <i>Mycobacterium smegmatis</i>, leading to entry into dormancy. W...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | article |
| Language: | EN |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doaj.org/article/bdfeabbca70143e9b7af5551b8ba91e9 |
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| Summary: | Regulatory small non-coding RNAs play a significant role in bacterial adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Various stresses such as hypoxia and nutrient starvation cause a reduction in the metabolic activity of <i>Mycobacterium smegmatis</i>, leading to entry into dormancy. We investigated the functional role of F6, a small RNA of <i>M. smegmatis</i>, and constructed an F6 deletion strain of <i>M. smegmatis</i>. Using the RNA-seq approach, we demonstrated that gene expression changes that accompany F6 deletion contributed to bacterial resistance against oxidative stress. We also found that F6 directly interacted with 5′-UTR of <i>MSMEG_4640</i> mRNA encoding RpfE2, a resuscitation-promoting factor, which led to the downregulation of RpfE2 expression. The F6 deletion strain was characterized by the reduced ability to enter into dormancy (non-culturability) in the potassium deficiency model compared to the wild-type strain, indicating that F6 significantly contributes to bacterial adaptation to non-optimal growth conditions. |
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