Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2025

A Non-Coding Small RNA MicC Contributes to Virulence in Outer Membrane Proteins in Salmonella Enteritidis
Published on: January 27, 2021
Interplay between the RNA Chaperone Hfq, Small RNAs and Transcriptional Regulator OmpR Modulates Iron Homeostasis in
Karolina Jaworska1, Julia Konarska1, Patrycja Gomza1
1Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland.
Abstract:
Iron is both essential for and potentially toxic to bacteria, so the precise maintenance of iron homeostasis is necessary for their survival. Our previous study indicated that in the human enteropathogen Yersinia enterocolitica, the regulator OmpR directly controls the transcription of the fur, fecA and fepA genes, encoding the ferric uptake repressor and two transporters of ferric siderophores, respectively. This study was undertaken to determine the significance of the RNA chaperone Hfq and the small RNAs OmrA and RyhB1 in the post-transcriptional control of the expression of these OmpR targets. We show that Hfq silences fur, fecA and fepA expression post-transcriptionally and negatively affects the production of FLAG-tagged Fur, FecA and FepA proteins. In addition, we found that the fur gene is under the negative control of the sRNA RyhB1, while fecA and fepA are negatively regulated by the sRNA OmrA. Finally, our data revealed that the role of OmrA results from a complex interplay of transcriptional and post-transcriptional effects in the feedback circuit between the regulator OmpR and the sRNA OmrA. Thus, the expression of fur, fecA and fepA is subject to complex transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in order to maintain iron homeostasis in Y. enterocolitica.
Related Concept Videos
Translational Regulation
Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches
Regulation of the Unfolded Protein Response
Types of RNA
Three main types of RNA are involved in protein synthesis: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). These RNAs perform diverse functions and can be broadly classified as protein-coding or non-coding RNA. Non-coding RNAs play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental changes. Non-coding RNAs in prokaryotes can be manipulated to develop more effective antibacterial drugs for human or animal use.
RNA...
Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps
Stringent Response in E. coli

