CsrC RNA family

CsrC RNA family
Predicted secondary structure and sequence conservation of CsrC
Identifiers
Symbol	CsrC
Alt. Symbols	SraK
Rfam	RF00084
Other data
RNA type	Gene; sRNA
Domain(s)	Bacteria
SO	0000655

The 245 nucleotide sRNA of Escherichia coli, CsrC, was discovered using a genetic screen for factors that regulate glycogen biosynthesis. CsrC RNA binds multiple copies of CsrA Pfam:PF02599, a protein that post-transcriptionally regulates central carbon flux, biofilm formation and motility in E. coli. CsrC antagonises the regulatory effects of CsrA, presumably by sequestering this protein. The discovery of CsrC is intriguing, in that a similar sRNA, CsrB, performs essentially the same function. Both sRNAs possess similar imperfect repeat sequences (18 in CsrB, nine in CsrC), primarily localised in the loops of predicted hairpins, which may serve as CsrA binding elements. Transcription of csrC increases as the culture approaches the stationary phase of growth and is indirectly activated by CsrA via the response regulator UvrY [1]. This RNA was also discovered in E. coli during a large scale screen [2]. The gene called SraK, was highly abundant in stationary phase, but low levels could be detected in exponentially growing cells as well [2].

See also

• CsrB/RsmB RNA family
• PrrB/RsmZ RNA family
• RsmY RNA family
• RsmX

References

• [1] Weilbacher, T; Suzuki K, Dubey AK, Wang X, Gudapaty S, Morozov I, Baker CS, Georgellis D, Babitzke P, Romeo T (2003). "A novel sRNA component of the carbon storage regulatory system of Escherichia coli". Mol Microbiol 48 (3): 657–670. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2958.2003.03459.x. PMID 12694612. 
• [2] Argaman, L; Hershberg R, Vogel J, Bejerano G, Wagner EG, Margalit H, Altuvia S (2001). "Novel small RNA-encoding genes in the intergenic regions of Escherichia coli". Curr Biol 11 (12): 941–950. doi:10.1016/S0960-9822(01)00270-6. PMID 11448770. 

External links

• Rfam page for CsrC RNA family
• Pfam page for the CsrA protein family