NrsZ (nitrogen regulated small RNA) is a
bacterial small RNA Bacterial small RNAs (bsRNA) are small RNAs produced by bacteria; they are 50- to 500-nucleotide non-coding RNA molecules, highly structured and containing several stem-loops. Numerous sRNAs have been identified using both computational analysis and ...
found in the opportunistic pathogen ''
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'' is a common encapsulated, gram-negative, aerobic–facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium that can cause disease in plants and animals, including humans. A species of considerable medical importance, ''P. aerugi ...
'' PAO1. Its transcription is induced during nitrogen limitation by the NtrB/C two-component system (an important regulator of
nitrogen assimilation Nitrogen assimilation is the formation of organic nitrogen compounds like amino acids from inorganic nitrogen compounds present in the environment. Organisms like plants, fungi and certain bacteria that can fix nitrogen gas (N2) depend on the abil ...
and
swarming motility
Swarming motility is a rapid (2–10 μm/s) and coordinated translocation of a bacterial population across solid or semi-solid surfaces, and is an example of bacterial multicellularity and swarm behaviour. Swarming motility was first reported b ...
) together with the alternative
sigma factor
A sigma factor (σ factor or specificity factor) is a protein needed for initiation of transcription in bacteria. It is a bacterial transcription initiation factor that enables specific binding of RNA polymerase (RNAP) to gene promoters. It is ho ...
RpoN ( a global regulator involved in nitrogen metabolism). NrsZ by activating ''rhlA (''a gene essential for rhamnolipids synthesis) positively regulates the production of
rhamnolipid
Rhamnolipids are a class of glycolipid produced by ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'', amongst other organisms, frequently cited as bacterial surfactants. They have a glycosyl head group, in this case a rhamnose moiety, and a 3-(hydroxyalkanoyloxy)alkanoi ...
surfactants needed for swarming motility.
See also
*
''Pseudomonas'' sRNA
*
SrbA sRNA
SrbA ( sRNA regulator of biofilms A) is a small regulatory non-coding RNA identified in pathogenic ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'.'' It is important for biofilm formation and pathogenicity. Bacterial strain with deleted SrbA had reduced biofilm mass. A ...
*
AsponA antisense RNA AsponA is a small asRNA transcribed antisense to the penicillin-binding protein 1A gene called ''ponA.'' It was identified by RNAseq and the expression was validated by 5' and 3' RACE experiments in '' Pseudomanas aeruginosa''. ''AsponA'' express ...
References
Non-coding RNA
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