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Updated: Aug 8, 2025
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A Fluorescence-based Method to Study Bacterial Gene Regulation in Infected Tissues
Published on: February 19, 2019
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Neisseria meningitidis Sibling Small Regulatory RNAs Connect Metabolism with Colonization by Controlling Propionate
Sandra Man-Bovenkerk1,2, Kim Schipper1,2, Nina M van Sorge1,2,3
1Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Journal of Bacteriology
|March 1, 2023
Summary
Neisseria meningitidis uses small noncoding RNAs (NmsRs) to control propionic acid metabolism. NmsRs help meningococci adapt to nutrient availability, influencing colonization of the human nasopharynx.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Neisseria meningitidis colonizes the nasopharynx, occasionally causing invasive diseases.
- Small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) regulate gene expression for adaptation.
- NmsRs (Neisseria metabolic switch regulators) control metabolic pathways in N. meningitidis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of NmsRs in regulating genes involved in propionate metabolism and protein degradation.
- To elucidate the interaction between NmsRs and their target genes.
- To understand how NmsRs contribute to N. meningitidis adaptation and colonization.
Main Methods:
- Reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) to measure transcript levels.
- A novel gene reporter system using 5' UTR-mcherry fusions to study sRNA-target interactions.
- Growth assays under nutrient-limited conditions with specific carbon sources.
Main Results:
- NmsRs were found to downregulate the expression of methylcitrate lyase (PrpF) and propionate kinase (AckA-1) under nutrient-rich conditions.
- Overexpression of NmsRs impaired growth on pyruvate and propionic acid.
- NmsRs are downregulated in nutrient-poor conditions, increasing propionate metabolism and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity.
Conclusions:
- NmsRs play a critical role in regulating propionic acid utilization by N. meningitidis.
- NmsRs link the metabolic state of meningococci to their ability to colonize the nasopharynx.
- Downregulation of NmsRs under nutrient-poor conditions enhances TCA cycle activity, facilitating nasopharyngeal colonization.
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