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Transcriptome Landscape of Mycobacterium smegmatis
Xinfeng Li1, Han Mei1, Fang Chen1
1State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Frontiers in Microbiology
|January 13, 2018
Summary
This study maps the complete transcriptional landscape of Mycobacterium smegmatis mc^2155, identifying thousands of transcriptional start sites and leaderless mRNAs. These findings provide a foundational understanding of gene expression in this key model organism.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Mycobacterium smegmatis mc^2155 is a crucial model organism for mycobacterial research.
- A comprehensive understanding of its transcriptional landscape is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the transcriptome, expression profiles, and transcriptional structures of M. smegmatis mc^2155.
- To identify transcriptional start sites, mRNA structures, and promoter activities.
Main Methods:
- Growth-phase-dependent RNA sequencing (RNA-seq)
- 5'-Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (5'-RACE)
- Edman degradation
- Beta-galactosidase assays
Main Results:
- Identified 2,139 genome-wide transcriptional start sites (TSSs).
- Characterized 2,233 independent mRNAs within operon/sub-operon structures.
- Discovered widespread leaderless mRNAs (47.50%), with TSSs overlapping start codons in 41.3% of cases.
- Corrected structural annotations for 124 genes and identified eight highly active promoters.
Conclusions:
- This study provides a detailed transcriptional map of M. smegmatis mc^2155.
- The findings reveal significant leaderless mRNA features and correct gene annotations.
- This work establishes a robust foundation for future research in Mycobacterium species.
