Abstract
6S RNA is a kind of high-abundance non-coding RNA that globally regulates bacterial transcription by interacting with RNA polymerase holoenzyme. Through bioinformatics analysis, we found that there are two tandem 6S RNA-encoding genes in the genomes of Bacillus cereus group bacteria. Using Bacillus thuringiensis BMB171 as the starting strain, we have explored the physiological functions of 6S RNAs, and found that the genes ssrSA and ssrSB encoding 6S-1 and 6S-2 RNAs were located in the same operon and are co-transcribed as a precursor that might be processed by specific ribonucleases to form mature 6S-1 and 6S-2 RNAs. We also constructed two single-gene deletion mutant strains ΔssrSA and ΔssrSB and a double-gene deletion mutant strain ΔssrSAB by means of the markerless gene knockout method. Our data show that deletion of 6S-1 RNA inhibited the growth of B. thuringiensis in the stationary phase, leading to lysis of some bacterial cells. Furthermore, deletion of 6S-1 RNA also significantly reduced the spore number and parasporal crystal content. Our work reveals that B. thuringiensis 6S RNA played an important regulatory role in ensuring the sporulation and parasporal crystal formation.
Highlights
In 1967, Hindley (1967) first discovered a highly abundant non-coding RNA in Escherichia coli
The study of 6S RNA remains silent for a long time until 2000, when Wassarman and Storz (2000) found that E. coli 6S RNA exists in high abundance throughout all bacterial growth phases, and exhibits a concentration as high as 10,000 molecules/cell in E. coli cells in the stationary phase
In this study, taking the B. thuringiensis BMB171 as a model to study the physiological function of 6S RNAs in B. cereus group bacteria, we found that the encoding genes ssrSA and ssrSB of 6S-1 and 6S-2 RNAs in BMB171 were located in the same operon and were co-transcribed as a precursor, which might be processed by ribonucleases to form mature 6S-1 and 6S-2 RNAs
Summary
In 1967, Hindley (1967) first discovered a highly abundant non-coding RNA in Escherichia coli. In this study, taking the B. thuringiensis BMB171 as a model to study the physiological function of 6S RNAs in B. cereus group bacteria, we found that the encoding genes ssrSA and ssrSB of 6S-1 and 6S-2 RNAs in BMB171 were located in the same operon and were co-transcribed as a precursor, which might be processed by ribonucleases to form mature 6S-1 and 6S-2 RNAs. deletion of the ssrSA gene inhibited the growth of B. thuringiensis in the stationary phase and decreased the sporulation and parasporal crystal formation. We found that diminished sporulation is primarily due to the decreased growth rate of the ssrSA deletion mutant in the stationary phase
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.