Posttranscriptional regulation of flagellin synthesis in Helicobacter pylori by the RpoN chaperone HP0958

J Bacteriol. 2008 Dec;190(24):7975-84. doi: 10.1128/JB.00879-08. Epub 2008 Oct 17.

Abstract

The Helicobacter pylori protein HP0958 is essential for flagellum biogenesis. It has been shown that HP0958 stabilizes the sigma(54) factor RpoN. The aim of this study was to further investigate the role of HP0958 in flagellum production in H. pylori. Global transcript analysis identified a number of flagellar genes that were differentially expressed in an HP0958 mutant strain. Among these, the transcription of the major flagellin gene flaA was upregulated twofold, suggesting that HP0958 was a negative regulator of the flaA gene. However, the production of the FlaA protein was significantly reduced in the HP0958 mutant, and this was not due to the decreased stability of the FlaA protein. RNA stability analysis and binding assays indicated that HP0958 binds and destabilizes flaA mRNA. The HP0958 mutant was successfully complemented, confirming that the mutant phenotype described was due to the lack of HP0958. We conclude that HP0958 is a posttranscriptional regulator that modulates the amount of the flaA message available for translation in H. pylori.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Electrophoresis, Agar Gel
  • Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay
  • Flagellin / biosynthesis*
  • Flagellin / genetics
  • Flagellin / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Genetic Complementation Test
  • Helicobacter pylori / genetics*
  • Helicobacter pylori / metabolism
  • Molecular Chaperones / genetics
  • Molecular Chaperones / metabolism*
  • Mutation
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • RNA Polymerase Sigma 54 / genetics
  • RNA Polymerase Sigma 54 / metabolism*
  • RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional*
  • RNA Stability
  • RNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Molecular Chaperones
  • RNA, Bacterial
  • Flagellin
  • flaA protein, bacteria
  • RNA Polymerase Sigma 54