Invited seminar-Emerging Functions for the Staphylococcus aureus RNome: its relationships with antibiotic resistance, immune evasion, and toxic peptide secretion

March 21, 2014

Justine Collier

Prof. Justine Collier, UNIL

Prof. Brice Felden, Université de Rennes/INSERM, France

INVITED SEMINAR                                                                                 

March 21, 2014

12h15-13h15

UNIL, Biophore, Auditorium

SUMMARY:

Staphylococcus aureus is a serious pathogen for animals and humans, being one of the most frequently isolated bacteria in hospital-associated infections and also causing diseases in the community. To coordinate the expression of its numerous virulence genes for growth, survival and adaptation, S. aureus uses various signalling pathways that include two-component regulatory systems, transcription factors, and hundreds of regulatory RNAs (sRNas). Biological roles have only been determined for a handful of these sRNAs, including cis, trans, and cis-trans acting RNAs, some internally encoding small, functional peptides and others possessing dual or multiple functions. Recent investigations from our lab have identified a sRNA that influence antibiotic resistance in S. aureus (Eyraud et al, 2014), a novel sophisticated translational control of an mRNA by two differentially expressed sRNAs that ensures supervision of host immune escape by S. aureus (Chabelskaya et al, 2014), and a novel toxin-antitoxin system producing membrane and secreted toxic peptides destroying host cells and competing bacteria with dissimilar strengths.

Recent references related to the seminar:

1. A small RNA controls a protein regulator involved in antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. Eyraud A, Tattevin P, Chabelskaya S, Felden B. Nucleic Acids Research. 2014, Feb 20. PMID:  24557948.

2. Dual RNA regulatory control of a Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor. Chabelskaya S, Bordeau V, Felden B. Nucleic Acids Research. 2014, Feb 7. PMID:  24510101.

3. Dual-coding Staphylococcus aureus RNA is controlled by a dual-acting antisense RNA and produces two toxic peptides that destroy host cells and bacterial rivals unequally. Pinel-Marie ML, Brielle R and Felden B. Cell Reports, 2014, in press.

AFTERNOON ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSION

Friday March 21^st, 14h30-16h00

Location: Biophore, Bio 2917.2

Organizer: Prof. Brice Felden

1)      Presentation and discussion of students' projects

Round-table presentation of student’s projects (no power-point presentations needed) and discussion with /feedback from the organizer and from other participants.

2)      General discussion (examples)

To discuss projects in general, science as such, how to choose subjects to work on and by which criteria, career and mentoring, etc.

UNIL, Biophore

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