RNA-mediated signal perception in pathogenic bacteria
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Updated: Feb 25, 2026

A Fluorescence-based Method to Study Bacterial Gene Regulation in Infected Tissues
Published on: February 19, 2019
Dmitriy Ignatov1,2,3, Jörgen Johansson1,2,3
1Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Abstract:
Bacterial pathogens encounter several different environments during an infection, many of them possibly being detrimental. In order to sense its surroundings and adjust the gene expression accordingly, different regulatory schemes are undertaken. With these, the bacterium appropriately can differentiate between various environmental cues to express the correct virulence factor at the appropriate time and place. An attractive regulator device is RNA, which has an outstanding ability to alter its structure in response to external stimuli, such as metabolite concentration or alterations in temperature, to control its downstream gene expression. This review will describe the function of riboswitches and thermometers, with a particular emphasis on regulatory RNAs being important for bacterial pathogenicity. WIREs RNA 2017, 8:e1429. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1429 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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