Regulatory RNA in bacterial pathogens.
Bacteria constitute a large and diverse class of infectious agents, causing devastating diseases in humans, animals, and plants. Our understanding of gene expression control, which forms the basis for successful prevention and treatment strategies, has until recently neglected the many roles that regulatory RNAs might have in bacteria. In recent years, several such regulators have been found to facilitate host-microbe interactions and act as key switches between saprophytic and pathogenic lifestyles. This review covers the versatile regulatory RNA mechanisms employed by bacterial pathogens and highlights the dynamic interplay between riboregulation and virulence factor expression.
Papenfort
Kai
K
RNA Biology Group, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117 Berlin, Germany.
Vogel
Jörg
J
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D037521:Virulence Factors