title: DEAD-Box RNA helicases in Bacillus subtilis have multiple functions and act independently from each other.
abstract: DEAD-box RNA helicases play important roles in remodeling RNA molecules and in facilitating a variety of RNA-protein interactions that are key to many essential cellular processes. In spite of the importance of RNA, our knowledge about RNA helicases is limited. In this study, we investigated the role of the four DEAD-box RNA helicases in the Gram-positive model organism Bacillus subtilis. A strain deleted of all RNA helicases is able to grow at 37°C but not at lower temperatures. The deletion of cshA, cshB, or yfmL in particular leads to cold-sensitive phenotypes. Moreover, these mutant strains exhibit unique defects in ribosome biogenesis, suggesting distinct functions for the individual enzymes in this process. Based on protein accumulation, severity of the cold-sensitive phenotype, and the interaction with components of the RNA degradosome, CshA is the major RNA helicase of B. subtilis. To unravel the functions of CshA in addition to ribosome biogenesis, we conducted microarray analysis and identified the ysbAB and frlBONMD mRNAs as targets that are strongly affected by the deletion of the cshA gene. Our findings suggest that the different helicases make distinct contributions to the physiology of B. subtilis. Ribosome biogenesis and RNA degradation are two of their major tasks in B. subtilis.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lehnik-Habrink
authors.forename: Leonie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rempeters
authors.forename: Ákos T
authors.initials: ÁT
authors.lastname: Kovács
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wrede
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baierlein
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krebber
authors.forename: Oscar P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Kuipers
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stülke
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology*; D011485:Protein Binding; D020871:RNA Stability; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases