title: When ribonucleases come into play in pathogens: a survey of gram-positive bacteria.
abstract: It is widely acknowledged that RNA stability plays critical roles in bacterial adaptation and survival in different environments like those encountered when bacteria infect a host. Bacterial ribonucleases acting alone or in concert with regulatory RNAs or RNA binding proteins are the mediators of the regulatory outcome on RNA stability. We will give a current update of what is known about ribonucleases in the model Gram-positive organism Bacillus subtilis and will describe their established roles in virulence in several Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria that are imposing major health concerns worldwide. Implications on bacterial evolution through stabilization/transfer of genetic material (phage or plasmid DNA) as a result of ribonucleases' functions will be covered. The role of ribonucleases in emergence of antibiotic resistance and new concepts in drug design will additionally be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Architecture et réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002 CNRS, IBMC, Université de Strasbourg, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Brian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jester
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Romby
authors.forename: Efthimia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lioliou