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Updated: Aug 10, 2025

An Integrated Approach for Microprotein Identification and Sequence Analysis
Published on: July 12, 2022
FinO/ProQ-family proteins: an evolutionary perspective
Zhen Liao1,2, Alexandre Smirnov1,2
1UMR7156 - Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique, Microbiologie (GMGM), University of Strasbourg, CNRS, France.
The FinO/ProQ protein family in bacteria evolves and spreads, impacting gene expression and DNA metabolism. These RNA chaperones act as key evolutionary players, influencing bacterial host evolution.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- RNA-binding proteins regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally but their evolutionary roles are understudied.
- The FinO/ProQ family of bacterial RNA chaperones represents a key model for understanding protein evolution.
Approach:
- This review examines the evolutionary dynamics of the FinO/ProQ family across bacterial populations.
- It analyzes conserved and divergent themes, structural augmentations, and convergent evolution within the family.
Key Points:
- The ancestral RNA-binding fold of FinO/ProQ proteins has diversified into specialized or globally acting regulatory hubs.
- Convergent evolution shaped their RNA chaperone activity, linking them to DNA metabolism, translation, and virulence.
- FinO/ProQ proteins exhibit both negative and positive roles in bacterial evolution.
Conclusions:
- FinO/ProQ family regulators are active evolutionary drivers impacting bacterial host evolutionary trajectories.
- Understanding their evolution provides insights into bacterial adaptation and gene regulation.
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