Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Quantifying Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Type III Secretion System Activity Following Iron Starvation and Anaerobic Growth
08:36

Quantifying Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Type III Secretion System Activity Following Iron Starvation and Anaerobic Growth

Published on: May 31, 2024

RNase E regulates the Yersinia type 3 secretion system

Jing Yang1, Chaitanya Jain, Kurt Schesser

  • 1University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Miami, FL 33136, USA.

Journal of Bacteriology
|March 25, 2008
PubMed

Insights

RNase E, like polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase), is crucial for the type 3 secretion system (T3SS) in Yersinia. Both enzymes regulate a late stage in the secretion pathway, impacting bacterial virulence.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Bacterial Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Yersinia spp. utilize a type 3 secretion system (T3SS) to inject effector proteins into host macrophages, which is essential for virulence.
  • Polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) was previously identified as a key regulator of T3SS function in Yersinia species.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of RNase E in the T3SS functioning of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.
  • To elucidate the relationship between RNase E, PNPase, and T3SS regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Phenotypic analysis of Y. pseudotuberculosis with reduced RNase E activity.
  • Assessing T3SS substrate expression levels.
  • Copurification of RNase E and PNPase from bacterial cell extracts.

Main Results:

  • Reduced RNase E activity in Y. pseudotuberculosis impairs T3SS function, phenotypically similar to PNPase-deficient mutants.
  • RNase E does not alter T3SS substrate expression but regulates a terminal secretion step.
  • RNase E and PNPase can be copurified, indicating a potential shared regulatory mechanism.

Conclusions:

  • RNase E is a novel regulator of the Yersinia T3SS, acting through a mechanism similar to PNPase.
  • These findings suggest a common pathway involving RNase E and PNPase in controlling T3SS activity and bacterial infectivity.

More Related Videos

Analysis of Yersinia enterocolitica Effector Translocation into Host Cells Using Beta-lactamase Effector Fusions12:23

Analysis of Yersinia enterocolitica Effector Translocation into Host Cells Using Beta-lactamase Effector Fusions

Published on: October 13, 2015

Overexpressing and Purifying a Toxic Nuclease from Escherichia coli08:13

Overexpressing and Purifying a Toxic Nuclease from Escherichia coli

Published on: August 29, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Bacterial RNA Polymerase00:43

Bacterial RNA Polymerase

Unlike eukaryotes, bacteria use a single RNA Polymerase (RNAP) to transcribe all genes. The different subunits of bacterial RNAPhave distinct functions. The multisubunit structure of the bacterial RNAP helps the enzyme to maintain catalytic function, facilitate assembly, interact with DNA and RNA, and self-regulate its activity.
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
Bacterial RNA Polymerase00:43

Bacterial RNA Polymerase

Unlike eukaryotes, bacteria use a single RNA Polymerase (RNAP) to transcribe all genes. The different subunits of bacterial RNAPhave distinct functions. The multisubunit structure of the bacterial RNAP helps the enzyme to maintain catalytic function, facilitate assembly, interact with DNA and RNA, and self-regulate its activity.
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
Plague01:24

Plague

Plague is a highly virulent zoonotic disease caused by Yersinia pestis, a Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic coccobacillus. This pathogen primarily circulates among rodent populations and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected fleas. Additional transmission routes include direct contact with infected animal tissue or inhalation of respiratory droplets from individuals with pneumonic plague. These multiple transmission pathways highlight the bacterium’s potential for rapid...
Types of RNA01:23

Types of RNA

Overview
Three main types of RNA are involved in protein synthesis: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). These RNAs perform diverse functions and can be broadly classified as protein-coding or non-coding RNA. Non-coding RNAs play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental changes. Non-coding RNAs in prokaryotes can be manipulated to develop more effective antibacterial drugs for human or animal use.
RNA...
Regulation of Bacterial Virulence01:28

Regulation of Bacterial Virulence

Pathogenic bacteria employ a range of regulatory mechanisms to modulate the expression of virulence genes in response to environmental and host-derived signals. These mechanisms ensure that virulence factors are expressed only under favorable conditions, thereby optimizing infection and survival strategies.Mechanisms of Virulence RegulationKey regulatory strategies include:Two-Component Systems: These consist of a membrane-bound sensor kinase and a cytoplasmic response regulator. Environmental...
Translational Regulation01:29

Translational Regulation

Translational regulation in prokaryotes ensures efficient protein synthesis by controlling ribosome access to mRNA. This regulation is mediated by secondary RNA structures, including translational riboswitches, RNA thermometers, and small RNAs (sRNAs), which respond to intracellular and environmental signals to modulate gene expression.Translational RiboswitchesRiboswitches in the leader region of mRNAs can regulate translation by altering the accessibility of the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence,...