Interrogation of RNA-protein interaction dynamics in bacterial growth

Mol Syst Biol. 2024 May;20(5):573-589. doi: 10.1038/s44320-024-00031-y. Epub 2024 Mar 26.

Abstract

Characterising RNA-protein interaction dynamics is fundamental to understand how bacteria respond to their environment. In this study, we have analysed the dynamics of 91% of the Escherichia coli expressed proteome and the RNA-interaction properties of 271 RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) at different growth phases. We find that 68% of RBPs differentially bind RNA across growth phases and characterise 17 previously unannotated proteins as bacterial RBPs including YfiF, a ncRNA-binding protein. While these new RBPs are mostly present in Proteobacteria, two of them are orthologs of human mitochondrial proteins associated with rare metabolic disorders. Moreover, we reveal novel RBP functions for proteins such as the chaperone HtpG, a new stationary phase tRNA-binding protein. For the first time, the dynamics of the bacterial RBPome have been interrogated, showcasing how this approach can reveal the function of uncharacterised proteins and identify critical RNA-protein interactions for cell growth which could inform new antimicrobial therapies.

Keywords: E. coli; Functional Screening; Proteomics; RBPome; iCLIP.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Escherichia coli Proteins* / genetics
  • Escherichia coli Proteins* / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli* / genetics
  • Escherichia coli* / growth & development
  • Escherichia coli* / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Protein Binding
  • Proteome / metabolism
  • RNA, Bacterial* / genetics
  • RNA, Bacterial* / metabolism
  • RNA-Binding Proteins* / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins* / metabolism

Substances

  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • RNA, Bacterial
  • Proteome