Investigating the Prevalence of RNA-Binding Metabolic Enzymes in E. coli

An open research field in cellular regulation is the assumed crosstalk between RNAs, metabolic enzymes, and metabolites, also known as REM hypothesis. High-throughput assays have produced extensive interactome data with enzymes frequently found hits, but only a few examples been biochemically validated, deficits especially prokaryotes. Therefore, we rationally selected nineteen Escherichia coli from such datasets examined their ability to bind RNAs using two complementary methods, iCLIP SELEX. Found interactions were validated by EMSA other methods. For most of candidates, observed no RNA binding (12/19) or rather unspecific (5/19). Two namely glutamate-5-kinase (ProB) quinone oxidoreductase (QorA), displayed specific previously unknown distinct RNAs. We concentrated on interaction QorA mRNA yffO, grounded prophage gene, which could be MST. Because physiological function both partners not known, biological relevance this remains elusive. Furthermore, novel targets for MS2 phage coat protein that served us control. Our results indicate procaryotes less frequent than suggested high-throughput studies, does occur.