You are here

UCF Digital Collections ยป ETD Collection

Exacerbation of efp- sickness in Escherichia coli by an uncharacterized RNA helicase

Download pdf | Full Screen View

Date Issued:
2018
Abstract/Description:
In Escherichia coli, growth is rate-limited by translation capacity. Stalled ribosomes have profound effects on a cell such as altered mRNA abundance, decreased ribosome availability, and an imbalanced proteome. The absence of elongation factor P (EF-P), a universally conserved transpeptidation enhancer, presents an extreme example of this scenario, wherein ribosomes accumulate disproportionately onto messages that are more slowly translated and cell growth becomes notably impaired. We discovered that faster-growing cells arise spontaneously in ?efp cultures, suggesting that translation defects could be circumvented by mutating other genes. This thesis presents a genetic and biochemical analysis of a mechanism ?efp cells employ to overcome translation stress. Using a dual luciferase reporter system, we found that transpeptidation remained hindered in the faster growing ?efp cells. Whole genome sequencing of several fast-growing strains revealed mutations in a poorly characterized RNA helicase called HrpA. We determined that deletion of hrpA, or mutations at several conserved residues critical for HrpA's function, was sufficient to improve the fitness of ?efp cells. HrpA is a DEAH-box RNA helicase and represents a large class of enigmatic proteins that use ATP to restructure cellular RNAs; however, it's direct function in cellular physiology has yet to be clearly demonstrated. Several HrpA mutants were engineered to interrogate the molecular mechanism of HrpA and how its function impairs ?efp cells. Complementation in ?efp ?hrpA cells showed that a number of these mutants were unable to restore sickness, suggesting they were defective in key aspects of RNA processing. It was discovered that wild-type HrpA is associated with actively translating ribosomes and several of the inactive HrpA mutants impose substantial deleterious effects on translation and ribosome production. In sum, the work presented here describes a mechanism by which cells overcome translation stress involving a novel genetic and biochemical relationship between EF-P and HrpA.
Title: Exacerbation of efp- sickness in Escherichia coli by an uncharacterized RNA helicase.
53 views
18 downloads
Name(s): Wingo, Robert, Author
Moore, Sean, Committee Chair
Roy, Herve, Committee Member
Teter, Kenneth, Committee Member
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2018
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: In Escherichia coli, growth is rate-limited by translation capacity. Stalled ribosomes have profound effects on a cell such as altered mRNA abundance, decreased ribosome availability, and an imbalanced proteome. The absence of elongation factor P (EF-P), a universally conserved transpeptidation enhancer, presents an extreme example of this scenario, wherein ribosomes accumulate disproportionately onto messages that are more slowly translated and cell growth becomes notably impaired. We discovered that faster-growing cells arise spontaneously in ?efp cultures, suggesting that translation defects could be circumvented by mutating other genes. This thesis presents a genetic and biochemical analysis of a mechanism ?efp cells employ to overcome translation stress. Using a dual luciferase reporter system, we found that transpeptidation remained hindered in the faster growing ?efp cells. Whole genome sequencing of several fast-growing strains revealed mutations in a poorly characterized RNA helicase called HrpA. We determined that deletion of hrpA, or mutations at several conserved residues critical for HrpA's function, was sufficient to improve the fitness of ?efp cells. HrpA is a DEAH-box RNA helicase and represents a large class of enigmatic proteins that use ATP to restructure cellular RNAs; however, it's direct function in cellular physiology has yet to be clearly demonstrated. Several HrpA mutants were engineered to interrogate the molecular mechanism of HrpA and how its function impairs ?efp cells. Complementation in ?efp ?hrpA cells showed that a number of these mutants were unable to restore sickness, suggesting they were defective in key aspects of RNA processing. It was discovered that wild-type HrpA is associated with actively translating ribosomes and several of the inactive HrpA mutants impose substantial deleterious effects on translation and ribosome production. In sum, the work presented here describes a mechanism by which cells overcome translation stress involving a novel genetic and biochemical relationship between EF-P and HrpA.
Identifier: CFE0007267 (IID), ucf:52178 (fedora)
Note(s): 2018-08-01
M.S.
Medicine, Biomedical Sciences
Masters
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): RNA helicase -- translation -- ribosome
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007267
Restrictions on Access: campus 2021-08-15
Host Institution: UCF

In Collections