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Role of mRNA stability during bacterial adaptation
Clémentine Dressaire1, Flora Picard, Emma Redon
1Université de Toulouse; The Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, UPS, INP, LISBP, Toulouse, France. clementine.dressaire@insa-toulouse.fr
Plos One
|March 22, 2013
Summary
Bacterial adaptation involves changes in messenger RNA (mRNA) stability, which is influenced by growth rate. This study reveals mRNA degradation plays a regulatory role in bacterial adaptation, though transcription is the primary driver of mRNA level changes.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Systems Biology
Background:
- Bacterial adaptation to environmental changes involves significant cellular reorganization, including adjustments in gene expression and messenger RNA (mRNA) abundance.
- Understanding the dynamics of mRNA turnover is crucial for comprehending bacterial adaptive responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role and regulation of mRNA degradation during bacterial growth rate variations.
- To determine the factors influencing mRNA half-lives and their contribution to bacterial adaptation.
Main Methods:
- Employed a genome-wide transcriptomic approach to quantify mRNA half-lives in Lactococcus lactis.
- Utilized continuous and batch cultures under isoleucine-limitation and starvation to study bacterial adaptation at different growth rates.
Main Results:
- mRNA half-lives varied significantly among different transcripts and were inversely correlated with growth rate.
- mRNA concentration, length, codon adaptation index, and secondary structure influenced stability, but growth rate was the dominant factor.
- mRNA degradation generally opposed transcription to maintain homeostasis, with degradation control intensifying during growth rate reduction.
Conclusions:
- mRNA degradation is a significant regulatory mechanism in bacterial adaptation, with its control intensifying during dynamic growth rate changes.
- While mRNA degradation influences mRNA homeostasis, transcriptional regulation is the primary driver of mRNA level adjustments in response to growth rate variations.
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