Unravelling small RNA regulatory networks to target and control bacteria.

小RNA(SRNA)分子是细菌基因表达的重要调控因子。这些分子控制着革兰氏阴性兽医致病菌多杀性巴氏杆菌的重要表型。本项目旨在确定多杀性巴氏杆菌sRNAs的范围，并显示这些分子在不同生长条件下的表达变化。具体地说，该项目致力于：确定sRNA的信使核糖核酸靶标；确定sRNA-信使核糖核酸相互作用的机制；建立描述sRNA调节电路的系统生物学模型；设计能够破坏关键的sRNA-信使核糖核酸相互作用的抑制剂；以及使用新的抑制剂来调节特定的表型。精确操纵sRNA调节电路的能力可以对细菌表型进行精细控制，并可能得到广泛应用。

Small RNA (sRNA) molecules are critical regulators of bacterial gene expression. These molecules control important phenotypes in the Gram-negative veterinary pathogen Pasteurella multocida. This project aims to identify the range of P. multocida sRNAs and to show how expression of these molecules changes under various growth conditions. Specifically, this project endeavours: to identify the mRNA targets of the sRNAs; to identify the mechanisms of sRNA-mRNA interaction; to build systems-biology models that describe the sRNA regulatory circuits; to design inhibitors capable of disrupting critical sRNA-mRNA interactions; and to use the new inhibitors to modulate specific phenotypes. The ability to precisely manipulate sRNA regulatory circuits could allow fine control of bacterial phenotypes and could be widely applicable.