Decoding the evolutionary dynamics of bacterial regulatory sRNAs

小rna （sRNAs）在细菌的多样化和适应性中起着至关重要的作用，影响着毒力、环境反应和代谢。然而，由于在远亲物种中识别sRNA的挑战，对细菌中sRNA进化的理解通常是有限的。最近的研究发现，生活在宿主体内的多种细菌共享srna，并且拥有共同的祖先。因此，可以研究这些sRNAs的进化、功能和调控，以深入了解细菌与宿主和环境的相互作用。此外，sRNAs在开发针对农业和公共卫生的靶向抗生素和绿色技术方面具有潜在的应用，以对抗抗生素和农药耐药性，同时最大限度地减少非靶向效应。本项目研究的细菌是其害虫宿主生存所必需的。因此，了解sRNAs在维持这些微生物-害虫相互作用中的作用对于管理农业和传播疾病的害虫至关重要。该项目更广泛的影响包括培训和多样性倡议，让本科生参与研究，以及促进STEM教育的包容性。外联活动和公开演讲将增进广大公众，特别是低收入社区对科学的了解。该项目将促进科学发现，培养下一代科研人员，促进科学传播，造福社会。由于小调控rna的快速进化和在不同细菌谱系中寻找相关sRNA的困难，了解它们是如何进化的一直具有挑战性。最近的研究发现，即使在数百万年的分化之后，细菌仍然具有保守的小rna，这为研究它们的进化提供了机会；这些细菌也引起了人们的兴趣，因为它们生活在以植物汁液为食的蚜虫体内。本研究旨在研究这些细菌从共同祖先分化出来以来，其sRNA调控和功能的进化。研究人员将确定序列分化和结合特异性如何影响与目标编码序列相互作用的sRNAs的功能和结构。此外，研究人员将研究mRNA靶点在远离靶点的基因组位置编码的不同sRNA之间的保守性。这项研究的发现将增强我们对sRNAs的功能作用以及它们如何在不同细菌谱系中参与基因调控的理解。此外，它将提供深入了解细菌的进化史及其对环境和宿主细胞的适应。通过揭示sRNA进化的机制，本研究可以揭示细菌中更广泛的基因调控和适应过程。本科生将在这个项目的过程中得到培训，研究人员将继续参加一年一度的全校昆虫节。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Small RNAs (sRNAs) play a crucial role in the diversification and adaptation of bacteria, influencing virulence, environmental responses, and metabolism. However, the understanding of sRNA evolution in bacteria is typically limited due to challenges in identifying sRNAs in distantly related species. Recent research has discovered sRNAs shared among diverse bacteria living inside hosts and that share a common ancestor. Therefore, the evolution, function and regulation of these sRNAs can be studied to gain insights into bacterial interactions with their hosts and environment. Moreover, sRNAs have potential applications in developing targeted antibiotics and green technologies for agriculture and public health, to combat antibiotic and pesticide resistance while minimizing non-target effects. The bacteria studied in this project are required for their pest insect hosts’ survival. Thus, understanding the role of sRNAs in maintaining these microbe-pest interactions is crucial for managing agricultural and disease-transmitting pests. The project's broader impacts include training and diversity initiatives, engaging undergraduate students in research, and promoting inclusivity in STEM education. Outreach activities and public presentations will enhance scientific understanding among the broader public, especially low-income communities. This project will foster scientific discovery, train the next generation of researchers, and promote science communication for the benefit of society.Understanding how small regulatory RNAs evolve has been challenging due to their rapid evolution and difficulties in finding related sRNA in diverse bacterial lineages. Recent research has identified bacteria with conserved small RNAs even after millions of years of divergence, providing an opportunity to study their evolution; these bacteria are also of interest because they live inside the aphids, which feed on plant sap. This proposal aims to investigate the evolution of sRNA regulation and function in those bacteria since their divergence from a common ancestor. The researchers will determine how sequence divergence and binding specificity affect the function and structure of sRNAs that interact with their target coding sequences. Additionally, the researchers will investigate the conservation of mRNA targets among divergent sRNA encoded in genomic locations far from their targets. The findings of this study will enhance our understanding of the functional roles of sRNAs and how they contribute to gene regulation in different bacterial lineages. Moreover, it will provide insights into the evolutionary history of bacteria and their adaptation to the environment and host cells over time. By unraveling the mechanisms of sRNA evolution, this research can shed light on the broader process of gene regulation and adaptation in bacteria. Undergraduate students will be trained in the course of this project, and researchers will continue to participate in the annual campus-wide insect festivals.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.