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Identification and characterisation of ssrA in members of the Helicobacter genus

Quanjiang Dong1, Li Zhang, Khean-lee Goh

  • 1School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek
|March 21, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Bacterial tmRNA (ssrA) rescue stalled ribosomes. This study identifies ssrA in Helicobacter species, revealing distinct tag peptide patterns that suggest a potential split in the Helicobacter genus.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The bacterial ssrA gene encodes tmRNA, a crucial molecule with both tRNA and mRNA functions.
  • tmRNA facilitates the rescue of stalled ribosomes from defective mRNAs, ensuring translational fidelity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize the ssrA gene in various gastric and enterohepatic Helicobacter species.
  • To investigate the phylogenetic implications of ssrA sequence variations and encoded tag peptides within the Helicobacter genus.
  • To analyze the expression and conservation of ssrA in Helicobacter pylori.

Main Methods:

  • Identification of ssrA sequences across multiple Helicobacter species.
  • Analysis of the 14-amino acid tag peptide sequences encoded by ssrA.
  • Phylogenetic analysis based on ssrA and tag peptide data.
  • Examination of ssrA conservation and expression in Helicobacter pylori, including its relationship with the HP0784 ORF.

Main Results:

  • ssrA was successfully identified in four gastric and four enterohepatic Helicobacter species.
  • Distinct tag peptide patterns were observed: Val(1)Ala(13) in gastric and Ala(1)Val(13) in enterohepatic Helicobacter species.
  • Phylogenetic analysis supported the separation of the Helicobacter genus into two distinct groups based on ssrA and tag peptide characteristics.
  • High conservation of ssrA was noted in Helicobacter pylori, with evidence of large and small tmRNA molecule expression.
  • The annotated ORF HP0784 in H. pylori was found to be unlikely functional due to significant overlap with ssrA.

Conclusions:

  • The distinct ssrA tag peptide patterns provide strong evidence for the phylogenetic divergence of Helicobacter species, suggesting a potential reclassification into two genera.
  • Helicobacter pylori exhibits highly conserved ssrA with unique expression of multiple tmRNA forms.
  • The ssrA gene plays a critical role in bacterial translational rescue across diverse Helicobacter species.

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