title: Cellular and molecular phenotypes depending upon the RNA repair system RtcAB of Escherichia coli.
abstract: RNA ligases function pervasively across the three kingdoms of life for RNA repair, splicing and can be stress induced. The RtcB protein (also HSPC117, C22orf28, FAAP and D10Wsu52e) is one such conserved ligase, involved in tRNA and mRNA splicing. However, its physiological role is poorly described, especially in bacteria. We now show in Escherichia coli bacteria that the RtcR activated rtcAB genes function for ribosome homeostasis involving rRNA stability. Expression of rtcAB is activated by agents and genetic lesions which impair the translation apparatus or may cause oxidative damage in the cell. Rtc helps the cell to survive challenges to the translation apparatus, including ribosome targeting antibiotics. Further, loss of Rtc causes profound changes in chemotaxis and motility. Together, our data suggest that the Rtc system is part of a previously unrecognized adaptive response linking ribosome homeostasis with basic cell physiology and behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Natural Sciences, Division of Cell & Molecular Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK c.engl@qub.ac.uk.|Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Engl
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Natural Sciences, Division of Cell & Molecular Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Jorrit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Natural Sciences, Division of Cell & Molecular Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Ioly
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kotta-Loizou
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Natural Sciences, Division of Cell & Molecular Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK m.buck@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buck
mesh_terms: D000604:Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002633:Chemotaxis; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D056426:Genetic Loci; D006706:Homeostasis; D009876:Operon; D010641:Phenotype; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D000604:Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases