Study on sRNA involved in the establishment of Bordetella pertussis infection

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16638
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 49050:Bacteriology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Hiramatsu Yukihiro 大阪大学, 微生物病研究所, 助教 (90739210)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 百日咳 / small RNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The virulence of Bordetella pertussis had long been considered to be regulated by the BvgAS two-component system, the master regulator for gene expression involved in the bacterial pathogenicity. In this study, we focused on small RNA (sRNA) that were highly expressed during B. pertussis infection, and indicated that an sRNA designated Bpr4 post-transcriptionally up-regulates the expression of filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), a major adhesin of B. pertussis, in a BvgAS-independent manner, and eventually plays a role in the establishment of the bacterial infection.

Free Research Field

細菌学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果から、これまで知られていなかった百日咳菌のin vivoにおけるsRNAによる病原性発現調節機構の一端が明らかとなった。百日咳菌の宿主への感染に関与するsRNAの報告はこれまでになく、本菌の感染成立機構の理解に新たな側面を付け加えることができたと考えている。さらに、sRNAを中心とした宿主感染時の百日咳菌の病原性発現機構の理解は、百日咳の新たな病原性制御法の開発に貢献するものと期待できる。