The small RNA GlmY acts upstream of the sRNA GlmZ in the activation of glmS expression and is subject to regulation by polyadenylation in Escherichia coli
Open Access
- 11 March 2008
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Nucleic Acids Research
- Vol. 36 (8), 2570-2580
- https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkn091
Abstract
In Escherichia coli the glmS gene encoding glucosamine 6-phosphate (GlcN-6-P) synthase GlmS is feedback regulated by GlcN-6-P in a pathway that involves the small RNA GlmZ. Expression of glmS is activated by the unprocessed form of GlmZ, which accumulates when the intracellular GlcN-6-P concentration decreases. GlmZ stabilizes a glmS transcript that derives from processing. Overexpression of a second sRNA, GlmY, also activates glmS expression in an unknown way. Furthermore, mutations in two genes, yhbJ and pcnB , cause accumulation of full-length GlmZ and thereby activate glmS expression. The function of yhbJ is unknown and pcnB encodes poly(A) polymerase PAP-I known to polyadenylate and destabilize RNAs. Here we show that GlmY acts indirectly in a way that depends on GlmZ. When the intracellular GlcN-6-P concentration decreases, GlmY accumulates and causes in turn accumulation of full-length GlmZ, which finally activates glmS expression. In glmZ mutants, GlmY has no effect on glmS , whereas artificially expressed GlmZ can activate glmS expression also in the absence of GlmY. Furthermore, we show that PAP-I acts at the top of this regulatory pathway by polyadenylating and destabilizing GlmY. In pcnB mutants, GlmY accumulates and induces glmS expression by stabilizing full-length GlmZ. Hence, the data reveal a regulatory cascade composed of two sRNAs, which responds to GlcN-6-P and is controlled by polyadenylation.Keywords
This publication has 41 references indexed in Scilit:
- Mechanism of mRNA destabilization by the glmS ribozymeGenes & Development, 2007
- The distributions, mechanisms, and structures of metabolite-binding riboswitchesGenome Biology, 2007
- Characterization of the role of ribonucleases in Salmonella small RNA decayNucleic Acids Research, 2007
- Quantitative Characteristics of Gene Regulation by Small RNAPLoS Biology, 2007
- Feedback control of glucosamine‐6‐phosphate synthase GlmS expression depends on the small RNA GlmZ and involves the novel protein YhbJ in Escherichia coliMolecular Microbiology, 2007
- Polyadenylation of a functional mRNA controls gene expression in Escherichia coliNucleic Acids Research, 2007
- The majority of Escherichia coli mRNAs undergo post-transcriptional modification in exponentially growing cellsNucleic Acids Research, 2006
- An Important Role for RNase R in mRNA DecayMolecular Cell, 2005
- Control of gene expression by a natural metabolite-responsive ribozymeNature, 2004
- High-frequency generalised transduction by bacteriophage T4Nature, 1979