细菌3’非编码区调控mRNA稳定性的研究

细菌通过调节mRNA的稳定性精确调控蛋白合成，由此更好地适应不断变化的环境。我们以前的研究发现，鼠疫耶尔森氏菌中HmsT编码基因的3'非翻译区（3'UTR）感应环境温度变化，调控自身mRNA的稳定性，然而其作用机制尚不完全清楚。本项目拟对hmsT 3’UTR进行深入研究，找出其感应温度变化、介导mRNA稳定性的序列和结构特征，揭示其作用机制。在此基础上，本项目拟寻找其他能感应温度变化及调控mRNA稳定性的3’UTR，研究参与此调控过程的通用的顺式作用元件以及反式作用因子。由此，初步揭示3’UTR感应环境温度、调控mRNA稳定性的作用机制。本项目研究将不仅丰富我们对细菌mRNA稳定性调控机制的认识，而且增加我们对细菌环境适应性调控的认知。

To adapt to an ever-changing environment, bacteria regulate mRNA stability to accurately produce appropriate protein. Previously, we found that the 3’untranslated region (3’UTR) of hmsT regulates mRNA stability in response to temperature change in Yersinia pestis. However，the mechanism that how hmsT 3’UTR senses the temperature change is not clear. This project aims to identify the sequence or structure feature which is involved in sensing the temperature change and regulation of mRNA stability. On this basis, this project will search for more 3’UTRs which have similar functions, identify the involved cis-acting elements and trans-acting factors to unravel their regulatory mechanism. This project will not only enhance our understanding on the regulatory mechanism of mRNA stability in bacteria, but also be helpful to study how bacteria adapt to changing environment.