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Updated: Jul 8, 2025

Studying Cell Cycle-regulated Gene Expression by Two Complementary Cell Synchronization Protocols
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Studying Cell Cycle-regulated Gene Expression by Two Complementary Cell Synchronization Protocols

Published on: June 6, 2017

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Balanced cell division is secured by two different regulatory sites in OxyS RNA

Maya Elgrably-Weiss1, Fayyaz Hussain2, Jens Georg2

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel.

RNA (New York, N.Y.)
|December 10, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Hydrogen peroxide-induced OxyS small RNA (sRNA) arrests the cell cycle by inhibiting both cell division and cell elongation. This dual inhibition by OxyS is crucial for DNA repair during oxidative stress in bacteria.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Bacterial Physiology

Background:

  • The small RNA OxyS is induced by hydrogen peroxide and regulates gene expression in Escherichia coli.
  • OxyS has been implicated in cell cycle control, but its precise mechanisms, particularly regarding cell elongation, were not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of OxyS in regulating both cell division and cell elongation.
  • To elucidate the molecular targets of OxyS involved in bacterial cell cycle progression under oxidative stress.

Main Methods:

  • Phylogenetic analysis of OxyS targets.
  • Assessing the impact of OxyS on the expression of genes involved in cell division (e.g., nusG, ftsZ) and cell elongation (e.g., mepS).
  • Observing bacterial cell morphology and division rates under varying OxyS levels.

Main Results:

  • OxyS inhibits cell division by repressing nusG, leading to KilR expression and FtsZ interference.
  • OxyS also inhibits mepS, an essential gene for cell elongation.
  • These findings reveal OxyS as a regulator of both opposing cell cycle processes.

Conclusions:

  • OxyS plays a critical role in bacterial oxidative stress response by coordinating cell division and elongation.
  • The dual regulation by OxyS facilitates cell-cycle arrest, enabling DNA repair.
  • These functions of OxyS are likely conserved across bacterial species.
Keywords:
E. coliOxyS small RNAcell-cycle arrestdamage repairoxidative stress

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