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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6
pubmed:dateCreated
2010-12-14
pubmed:abstractText
Small RNA molecules play key regulatory roles in many bacterial species. However, little mechanistic data exists for the action of small regulatory RNAs in the human pathogen group A Streptococcus (GAS). Here, we analysed the relationship between a putative GAS sRNA and production of the secreted virulence factor streptokinase (SKA). SKA promotes GAS dissemination by activating conversion of host plasminogen into the fibrin-degrading protease plasmin. Homologues of the putative sRNA-encoding gene fibronectin/fibrinogen-binding/haemolytic-activity/streptokinase-regulator-X (fasX) were identified in four different pyogenic streptococcal species. However, despite 79% fasX nucleotide identity, a fasX allele from the animal pathogen Streptococcus zooepidemicus failed to complement a GAS fasX mutant. Using a series of precisely constructed fasX alleles we discovered that FasX is a bona-fide sRNA that post-transcriptionally regulates SKA production in GAS. By base-pairing to the 5' end of ska mRNA, FasX enhances ska transcript stability, resulting in a ?10-fold increase in SKA activity. Our data provide new insights into the mechanisms used by small regulatory RNAs to activate target mRNAs, and enhances our understanding of the regulation of a key GAS virulence factor.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Dec
pubmed:issn
1365-2958
pubmed:author
pubmed:copyrightInfo
© 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
78
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1332-47
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2010
pubmed:articleTitle
The group A Streptococcus small regulatory RNA FasX enhances streptokinase activity by increasing the stability of the ska mRNA transcript.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Pathology, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural