RNase III and RNase E Influence Posttranscriptional Regulatory Networks Involved in Virulence Factor Production, Metabolism, and Regulatory RNA Processing in Bordetella pertussis
Gyles Ifill, Travis M. Blimkie, Amy Huei‐Yi Lee, George A. Mackie, Qing Chen, Scott Stibitz, Robert E. W. Hancock, Rachel C. Fernandez
Abstract
Noncoding, regulatory RNAs in bacterial pathogens are critical components required for rapid changes in gene expression profiles. However, little is known about the role of regulatory RNAs in the growth and pathogenesis of Bordetella pertussis. To address this, mutants separately lacking ribonucleases central to regulatory RNA processing, RNase III and RNase E, were analyzed by RNA-Seq. Here, we detail the first transcriptomic analysis of the impact of altered RNA degradation in B. pertussis. Each mutant showed approximately 1,000 differentially expressed genes, with significant changes in the expression of pathways associated with metabolism, bacterial secretion, and virulence factor production. Our analysis suggests an important role for these ribonucleases during host colonization and provides insights into the breadth of posttranscriptional regulation in B. pertussis, further informing our understanding of B. pertussis pathogenesis.