Signal recognition particle RNA is critical for genetic competence and virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae .
Jingjun LinSook Yin ChongMyung Whan OhShi Qian LewLuchang ZhuXuejin ZhangWilliam H WitolaGee W LauPublished in: Journal of bacteriology (2024)
(pneumococcus) causes multiple important infectious diseases in humans. The signal recognition particle (SRP) complex, which comprised 4.5S small cytoplasmic RNA (ScRNA), and the Ffh and FtsY proteins, mediates membrane targeting and translocation of secreted proteins in all organisms. However, the role of SRP and ScRNA has not been characterized during the induction of the competence system for genetic transformation and virulence in pneumococcus. By using a combination of genetic, biochemical, proteomic, and imaging approaches, we demonstrated that the SRP complex plays a significant role in membrane targeting of competence system-regulated effectors important for genetic transformation, virulence during bacteremia and pneumonia infections, and nutritional acquisition.