Gene-specific silencing induced by parallel complementary RNA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
To investigate whether parallel complementary RNA (pRNA) could induce gene-specific silencing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, pRNA of the mexA gene was expressed in it. Compared to the control strains, the strain expressing pRNA of mexA showed a 50% decrease in minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of several antimicrobial agents and a twofold increase in the initial accumulation rate of ethidium bromide, all of which are substrates of the MexAB-OprM efflux pump. These results suggest that gene-specific silencing was induced by pRNA. This is the first time that such a route for gene silencing has been reported in a bacterium other than Escherichia coli. Gene-specific silencing induced by pRNA may be useful as a novel biotechnology tool for gene regulation in prokaryotes.
Liu
Yi Shuang
YS
Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China.
Zhang
Yue Qin
YQ
Yang
Li Xia
LX
Yao
Tian Jue
TJ
Xiao
Chun Ling
CL
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D020868:Gene Silencing; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000235:genetics*; D018075:RNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C118598:MexA protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa; D018075:RNA, Complementary