MicX sRNA (formerly known as A10)
is a small
non-coding RNA
A non-coding RNA (ncRNA) is a functional RNA molecule that is not Translation (genetics), translated into a protein. The DNA sequence from which a functional non-coding RNA is transcribed is often called an RNA gene. Abundant and functionally im ...
found in ''
Vibrio cholerae
''Vibrio cholerae'' is a species of Gram-negative, facultative anaerobe and comma-shaped bacteria. The bacteria naturally live in brackish or saltwater where they attach themselves easily to the chitin-containing shells of crabs, shrimps, and oth ...
''.
It was given the name MicX as it has a similar function to MicA, MicC and MicF in ''
E. coli''. MicX sRNA negatively
regulates an outer
membrane protein
Membrane proteins are common proteins that are part of, or interact with, biological membranes. Membrane proteins fall into several broad categories depending on their location. Integral membrane proteins are a permanent part of a cell membrane ...
(coded for b
VC0972 and also a component of an
ABC transporter
The ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABC transporters) are a transport system superfamily that is one of the largest and possibly one of the oldest gene families. It is represented in all extant phyla, from prokaryotes to humans. ABC transpo ...
(gen
VC0620.
These interactions were predicted and then confirmed using a
DNA microarray.
MicX was identified through a
bioinformatics screen of ''V. cholerae'' having been previously predicted.
Levels of
transcription
Transcription refers to the process of converting sounds (voice, music etc.) into letters or musical notes, or producing a copy of something in another medium, including:
Genetics
* Transcription (biology), the copying of DNA into RNA, the fir ...
of this sRNA were compared under several conditions: it was found to be expressed on all tested
mediums
Mediumship is the practice of purportedly mediating communication between familiar spirits or spirits of the dead and living human beings. Practitioners are known as "mediums" or "spirit mediums". There are different types of mediumship or spir ...
; richer mediums slightly reduced transcription;
repression of certain
sigma factors (δ
S and δ
E) did not change transcription but it was dramatically reduced in the absence of
Hfq protein
The Hfq protein (also known as HF-I protein) encoded by the ''hfq'' gene was discovered in 1968 as an ''Escherichia coli'' host factor that was essential for replication of the bacteriophage Qβ. It is now clear that Hfq is an abundant bacterial R ...
.
This observation is in accordance with other sRNA expression patterns.
The MicX
RNA gene overlaps wit
VCA0943- a gene coding for a
maltose transporter permease - but the
ribonuclease
Ribonuclease (commonly abbreviated RNase) is a type of nuclease that catalyzes the degradation of RNA into smaller components. Ribonucleases can be divided into endoribonucleases and exoribonucleases, and comprise several sub-classes within ...
RNAase E processes the MicX transcript to create an active and stable form containing only the VCA0943
3′ UTR.
See also
*
Hfq protein
The Hfq protein (also known as HF-I protein) encoded by the ''hfq'' gene was discovered in 1968 as an ''Escherichia coli'' host factor that was essential for replication of the bacteriophage Qβ. It is now clear that Hfq is an abundant bacterial R ...
References
Further reading
*
*
*
External links
* {{Rfam, id=RF01808, name=MicX Vibrio cholerae sRNA
Non-coding RNA