Regulation of the micF Gene and Mechanism of Action of the Transcript as a Repressor

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Within the past few years a large number of small RNAs have been discovered and characterized. Several of these have been found to be regulatory molecules. One small RNA termed micF RNA has been hypothesized to negatively regulate the expressions of outer membrane protein F (ompF) at the level of translation in E coli. The mechanism faction of micF RNA as a repressor molecular will be elucidated. The kinetics of its systhesis and decay will be determined. The in vivo levels of ompF m RNA in cells having micF on a multicopy plasmid, in reference strains and in micF deletion strain will be investigated. Attempts will be made to form a micF RNA - ompF m RNA hybrid in vitro and its properties will be characterized. The question of whether small RNA molecules complementary fo certain mRNA sequences can repress translation of those mRNAs is of much current interest. Specifically is there a micC RNA that participates in the regulation of ompC synthesis? MicF RNA may prove to be a prototype of other regulatory RNA genes that function in eubacteria and it would indeed be exciting if this were the case.