Analysis for structure and DNA/RNA binding activity of the bacterial cytoskeletal protein RodZ

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26440014
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Molecular biology
• Research Institution: National Institute of Infectious Diseases
• Principal Investigator: Jiro Mitobe 国立感染症研究所, 細菌第一部, 主任研究官 (40333364)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 柳原 格 地方独立行政法人大阪府立病院機構大阪母子医療センター(研究所), 免疫部門, 部長 (60314415)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: バクテリア細胞骨格 / RNA結合蛋白 / 転写後調節 / 蛋白局在

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Bacterial cytoskeletal protein RodZ, which is involved in formation of rod shape of bacilli, is also involved in post-transcriptional regulation of invE(virB) gene in the type 3 secretion system of Shigella through the RNA binding activity. In this study, we found that the RNA binding activity was depended on hexamer formation and clustering ability of multiple hexamers. Such cluster was consistently detected by immuno-fluorescent microscopy with super resolution confocal setting. In an attempt to isolate genes under regulation by RodZ, we found that expression of rpoS and rpoH genes encoding sigma subunits of RNA polymerase, which have been well-characterized post-transcriptional regulation, were increased by rodZ mutation. Analysis of DNA and RNA binding activities indicated that sequence specificity was not identified. In addition, the binding activity was sensitive to the salt concentration.

Free Research Field

細菌学