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SUMMARY:Prof. Cynthia Sharma\, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg: 
 Small RNAs and small proteins in stress response  and virulence control of
  pathogenic Epsilonproteobacteria
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Berlin:20251028T090000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Berlin:20251028T100000
DTSTAMP:20260613T235541Z
UID:ba7d5f336e264461966f2b6190fabbdd@www2.hrz.uni-marburg.de
CATEGORIES:()
CREATED:20241205T125047Z
DESCRIPTION:https://www2.hrz.uni-marburg.de/en/synmikro/grk2937/whats-on/d
 ates-and-events/grk2937_speaker-series_cynthia-sharma\nSpeaker Series. \nA
 bstract: Non-coding RNAs and associated RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play c
 entral roles in diverse physiological processes and disease development in
  all kingdoms of life. Research in our lab focuses on RNA-based regulation
  in bacterial pathogens. We are especially interested in the molecular mec
 hanisms and physiological roles of small\, regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) and RBP
 s in bacterial stress response and virulence control. In my talk\, I will 
 describe multiple examples of diverse mechanisms of gene regulation in bac
 teria. For example\, we recently discovered two sRNAs in the food-borne pa
 thogen Campylobacter jejuni involved in flagella biogenesis and control of
  motility\, a key virulence trait of Campylobacter. While biogenesis of th
 e complex flagellar machinery requires strict hierarchical transcriptional
  control of the individual components\, less is known about post-transcrip
 tional control of flagella biogenesis via sRNAs. In C. jejuni\, we found t
 wo sRNAs with opposing effects on the flagellar cascade: CJnc230 sRNA is p
 rocessed from the mRNA encoding the flagellar structural hook protein FlgE
  and acts as an enhancer of flagellar length and motility. In contrast\, o
 verexpression of CJnc170 sRNA\, which is expressed downstream in the trans
 criptional cascade\, represses flagellar length and motility. This interpl
 ay of two sRNAs fine-tunes flagellar biosynthesis through balancing of the
  hierarchically expressed components and such post-transcriptional regulat
 ion of flagellar biogenesis via sRNAs is emerging to be more widespread am
 ong bacteria. \nIn addition to small RNAs\, we are also studying another c
 lass of small gene products\, so-called small proteins (<70aa). To globall
 y identify small open reading frames (sORFs) that encode small proteins\, 
 we have been employing and developing diverse ribosome profiling approache
 s for global translatome analyses. Small proteins are an emerging\, yet la
 rgely unexplored class of gene products involved in diverse cellular proce
 sses\, which often interact with larger protein complexes. For example\, i
 n addition to the above mentioned sRNAs involved in flagella regulation\, 
 we identified a small protein essential for flagella biogenesis and motili
 ty of C. jejuni.\nTo globally identify interaction partners of RNAs\, we a
 re also employing genome-wide approaches\, such as RBP capture methods. We
  recently developed a new RNA interactome approach for bacteria based on p
 rimary transcript capture. Our pilot screens in the intestinal pathogens S
 almonella and Campylobacter jejuni successfully captured known RBPs but al
 so uncovered many new RBP candidates\, including metabolic or cell divisio
 n proteins that lack canonical RNA binding domains. We also identified a p
 air of KH-domain proteins\, KhpA and KhpB\, in C. jejuni. KhpA/B homologs 
 are widespread among bacteria\, but their cellular roles remain poorly und
 erstood. Based on co-immunoprecipitation assays\, we validated KhpA/B inte
 raction and identified overlapping and distinct sets of RNAs bound by both
  proteins as well as crucial RNA binding domains of both proteins. \nOvera
 ll\, many players in bacterial regulatory networks remain to be discovered
 . Deciphering their mechanisms will provide new insights into molecular pr
 inciples of gene regulation as well as virulence control of bacterial path
 ogens and open new ways to better treat and prevent infections.
LAST-MODIFIED:20251027T092004Z
LOCATION:SYNMIKRO Lecture Hall
URL:https://www2.hrz.uni-marburg.de/en/synmikro/grk2937/whats-on/dates-and
 -events/grk2937_speaker-series_cynthia-sharma
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