title: The Sm-like Hfq protein increases OxyS RNA interaction with target mRNAs.
abstract: The Escherichia coli host factor I, Hfq, binds to many small regulatory RNAs and is required for OxyS RNA repression of fhlA and rpoS mRNA translation. Here we report that Hfq is a bacterial homolog of the Sm and Sm-like proteins integral to RNA processing and mRNA degradation complexes in eukaryotic cells. Hfq exhibits the hallmark features of Sm and Sm-like proteins: the Sm1 sequence motif, a multisubunit ring structure (in this case a homomeric hexamer), and preferential binding to polyU. We also show that Hfq increases the OxyS RNA interaction with its target messages and propose that the enhancement of RNA-RNA pairing may be a general function of Hfq, Sm, and Sm-like proteins.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology and Metabolism Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Aixia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Wassarman
authors.forename: Joaquin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: Alasdair C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Steven
authors.forename: Gisela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Storz
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D035001:Host Factor 1 Protein; D006801:Humans; D034982:Integration Host Factors; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017411:Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000235:genetics; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D055517:snRNP Core Proteins; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D035001:Host Factor 1 Protein; D034982:Integration Host Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D017411:Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear; D012808:Sigma Factor; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D055517:snRNP Core Proteins; C440502:integration host factor, E coli; C499686:oxyS small RNA, E coli; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated; C069567:sigma factor KatF protein, Bacteria; C067189:fhlA protein, E coli