Complete growth inhibition of Escherichia coli by ribosome trapping with truncated cspA mRNA at low temperature.
BACKGROUND
CspA, the major cold-shock protein of Escherichia coli, is transiently induced upon temperature downshift and considered to play an important role in low-temperature adaptation.


RESULTS
Overproduction of truncated cspA mRNAs retaining translational ability was found to completely block cell growth at low temperatures. This effect was termed 'low-temperature antibiotic effect of truncated cspA expression (LACE)'. In contrast to the significant reduction of polysomes in normal cells upon cold shock, cells under LACE maintained a high polysome profile, producing only truncated cspA products. Growth inhibition of cells under LACE was suppressed when CspA was overproduced together with the truncated cspA mRNA.


CONCLUSIONS
LACE is caused by the overproduction of a truncated cspA mRNA in the absence of CspA production, which in turn traps all the cellular ribosomes in a non-adaptive form incapable of forming initiation complexes with other cellular mRNAs. LACE may provide a novel approach to the development of a new antibiotic.
Jiang
W
W
Department of Biochemistry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
Fang
L
L
Inouye
M
M
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002455:Cell Division; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology*; D009154:Mutation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C062260:cold shock protein CS7.4, Bacteria