Analysis of virulence regulatory mechanism of group A streptococcal ncRNA

化脓性链球菌调节感染部位毒力因子的表达，引起化脓性疾病。近年来，RNA的转录和翻译调控已被注意到。本研究在化脓性链球菌中寻找非编码RNA候选物，并利用构建的突变株研究非编码RNA的靶mrna。此外，对于编码转录调控因子的必需基因，在其上游引入了核糖开关，并分析了该必需基因的功能。当该基因的翻译速率降低时，突变菌株的生长明显受到抑制。突变体细胞形态异常，表面结构不规则。我们的研究结果表明，基于核糖体开关的翻译控制有助于分析化脓性链球菌的基本因子。

Streptococcus pyogenes regulates expression of virulence factors in infection sites, and causes purulent diseases. Recently, transcriptional and translational regulations by RNA have been noted. In this study, non-coding RNA candidates were searched in Streptococcus pyogenes, and target mRNAs of non-coding RNAs were investigated using constructed mutant strains. Moreover, regarding the essential gene encoding a transcriptional regulator, an riboswitch was introduced upstream of the gene, and the function of the essential gene was analysed. When the translation rate of the gene was reduced in the mutant strain, the growth was markedly inhibited. Moreover, the mutant showed an abnormal cellular morphology and irregular superficial structure. Our results indicate that riboswitch-based translational control is useful for analysis of essential factors of Streptococcus pyogens.