RNase E-dependent processing stabilizes MicX, a Vibrio cholerae sRNA
2007

MicX: A Small RNA in Vibrio cholerae

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Davis Brigid M, Waldor Matthew K

Primary Institution: Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Hypothesis

MicX regulates the expression of outer membrane proteins in Vibrio cholerae.

Conclusion

MicX is processed by RNase E to a more stable form that effectively regulates target mRNAs.

Supporting Evidence

  • MicX regulates the expression of vc0972 and vc0620, which encode outer membrane proteins.
  • Processed MicX is significantly more stable than its precursor transcripts.
  • MicX processing requires RNase E but not Hfq.

Takeaway

MicX is a tiny piece of RNA that helps bacteria control how they make certain proteins, and it gets changed into a more stable form to do its job better.

Methodology

The study used bioinformatic analyses, Northern blotting, and microarray experiments to characterize MicX and its targets.

Limitations

The biological significance of MicX processing is largely unexplored, and the overall contribution of MicX to Vibrio cholerae physiology remains unclear.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1111/j.1365-2958.2007.05796.x

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