title: Elucidation of small RNAs that activate transcription in bacteria.
abstract: Small non-coding RNA (sRNA) control of gene expression has been shown to play a prominent role in genetic regulation. While the majority of identified bacterial sRNAs exert their control at the translational level, a few examples of bacterial sRNAs that inhibit transcription have also been identified. Using an engineered combinatorial RNA library, we have elucidated bacterial sRNAs that activate transcription of a target gene in E. coli to varying degrees. Mutation of the strongest activator modified its activation potential. Our results suggest that transcriptional activation of our target gene results from recruitment of the bacterial RNA polymerase complex to the promoter region. These data, coupled with the malleability of RNA, provide a context to define synthetic control of genes in bacteria at the transcriptional level.
authors: 711th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, 2510 Fifth Street, Building 840, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433, USA.
authors: Michael S
authors: MS
authors: Goodson
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: Lynch
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Lamkin
authors: Ryan
authors: R
authors: Kramer
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated / Q000235:genetics*; D058615:Synthetic Biology; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated