VILLUM FONDENs blokstipedier

Small non-coding RNA transcripts (sRNAs) act as important regulators of gene expression in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. In this project, we propose to investigate the regulatory role and mechanism of action of seven homologous sRNAs in the highly versatile bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Detailed molecular studies of these seven sRNAs will shed more light on the purpose of multiplicity and on how homologous sRNAs interplay. A variety of experimental methods will be employed, including RNA sequencing, molecular genetics and biochemical analyses, to determine the “sRNA regulons” and the role of multiple conserved regions present in all seven sRNAs. Ultimately, detailed studies of gene regulatory networks comprising multiple homologous sRNAs will provide important knowledge on how highly versatile bacteria, as exemplified by Listeria, are capable of surviving and propagating in rapidly changing and stressful environments. Potentially, new concepts for sRNA-medicated control in bacteria will be revealed.