title: Ribonucleases, antisense RNAs and the control of bacterial plasmids.
abstract: In the last decade regulatory RNAs have emerged as powerful tools to regulate the expression of genes both in prokaryotes and in eukaryotes. RNases, by degrading these RNA molecules, control the right amount of regulatory RNAs, which is fundamental for an accurate regulation of gene expression in the cell. Remarkably the first antisense RNAs identified were plasmid-encoded and their detailed study was crucial for the understanding of prokaryotic antisense RNAs. In this review we highlight the role of RNases in the precise modulation of antisense RNAs that control plasmid replication, maintenance and transfer.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saramago
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cátia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bárria
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal. Electronic address: cecilia@itqb.unl.pt.
authors.forename: Cecília M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Arraiano
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal. Electronic address: susanadomingues@itqb.unl.pt.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Domingues
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004261:DNA Replication; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005144:F Factor / Q000235:genetics; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D010675:Pheromones / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000235:genetics; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C087025:Hok protein, E coli; D010675:Pheromones; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; C042833:ROM protein, Bacteria; D012260:Ribonucleases
keywords: Antisense RNA; Conjugation; Copy-number; Replication; sRNA