title: Hfq: a multifaceted RNA chaperone involved in virulence.
abstract: Hfq has emerged in recent years as a master regulator of gene expression in bacteria, mainly due to its ability to mediate the interaction of small noncoding RNAs with their mRNA targets, including those related to virulence in Gram-negative bacteria. In this work, we review current knowledge on the involvement of Hfq in the regulation of virulence traits related to secretion systems, alternative sigma factors, outer membrane proteins, polysaccharides and iron metabolism. Recent data from transcriptomics and proteomics studies performed for major pathogens are included. We also summarize and correlate current knowledge on how Hfq protein impacts pathogenicity of bacterial pathogens.
authors.affiliation: iBB - Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa. Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Joana R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Feliciano
authors.forename: André M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Grilo
authors.affiliation: iBB - Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa. Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Soraia I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Guerreiro
authors.affiliation: iBB - Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa. Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sílvia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: iBB - Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa. Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.|Departamento de Bioengenharia, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa. Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Jorge H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Leitão
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D035001:Host Factor 1 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000378:metabolism*; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D035001:Host Factor 1 Protein; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Hfq protein; bacterial pathogenesis; post-transcriptional regulation; proteomics; sRNAs; transcriptomics