Papers of the month

2011

• December 2011
  • Bange et al. from the lab of Irmgard Sinning show how the YlxH protein activates the SRP-GTPase FlhF. The study sheds light on the evolutionary transition from RNA- to protein-driven activation in SRP-GTPases.
  • Relevant SubtiWiki pages: Irmgard Sinning, FlhF, YlxH, signal recognition particle, motility and chemotaxis

• November 2011
  • Locke et al. show how the SigB-dependent general stress response is controlled by signals using stochastic pulse frequency modulation through a compact regulatory architecture.
  • Relevant SubtiWiki pages: Michael Elowitz, SigB, General stress response

Locke JC, Young JW, Fontes M, Hernández Jiménez MJ, Elowitz MB  
Stochastic pulse regulation in bacterial stress response. 
Science. 2011 334:366-369. 
PubMed:21979936

• October 2011
  • Richards et al. identify the nudix hydrolase RppH as the pyrophosphohydrolase that triggers 5'-exonucleolytic degradation of mRNA by RNase J1 in B. subtilis.
  • Relevant SubtiWiki pages: David Bechhofer, Ciaran Condon, RNA processing and degradation, nudix hydrolase, RppH, RNase J1

• September 2011
  • A series of papers deals with RNA processing and degradation in B. subtilis. Three papers establish that RNase Y is the functional equivalent of RNase E from E. coli. Moreover, the role of RNase J1 in endonucleolytic cleavage of the trp leader mRNA is demonstrated.
  • Relevant SubtiWiki pages: David Bechhofer, Rick Lewis, Ulrike Mäder, Harald Putzer, Jörg Stülke, RNases, RNA degradosome, RNase Y, RNase Y targets, RNase J1

Lehnik-Habrink M, Schaffer M, Mäder U, Diethmaier C, Herzberg C, Stülke J  
RNA processing in Bacillus subtilis: identification of targets of the essential RNase Y. 
Mol Microbiol. 2011 81(6): 1459-73. 
PubMed:21815947

• August 2011
  • Chi et al. demonstrate that S-bacillithiolation of the repressor OhrR and of four enzymes of the methionine biosynthesis pathway protects the B. subtilis cell against hypochlorite stress.
  • Relevant SubtiWiki pages: Haike Antelmann, Dörte Becher, Ulrike Mäder, resistance against oxidative and electrophile stress, Spx regulon, CtsR regulon, PerR regulon, OhrR, MetE, YxjG, PpaC, SerA, YphP

• July 2011
  • Domínguez-Escobar et al. from Rut Carballido-Lopez' lab and Garner et al. report that movement of actin-like filaments is driven by the peptidoglycan elongation machinery. Both papers suggest that the MreB-like filaments serve to restrict the mobility of the peptidoglycan synthesizing machinery
    
  • Relevant SubtiWiki pages: Rut Carballido-Lopez, David Rudner, MreB, MreBH, Mbl, MreC, MreD, PbpA, RodA, RodZ, penicillin-binding proteins, cell shape, cell wall synthesis, cell wall biosynthetic complex

• A comment on these papers:

• June 2011
  • Oppenheimer-Shaanan et al. from Sigal Ben-Yehuda's lab report that cyclic di-AMP acts as a secondary messenger that couples DNA integrity with progression of sporulation
    
  • Relevant SubtiWiki pages: Sigal Ben-Yehuda, DisA, YybT, metabolism of signalling nucleotides, cell division

• May 2011
  • Miles et al. identified the enzyme for the key final step in the biosynthesis of queuosine, a hypermodified base found in the wobble positions of tRNA Asp, Asn, His, and Tyr from bacteria to man
    
  • Relevant SubtiWiki pages: QueG, translation