Role of DEAD Box RNA helicases in low temperature adapted growth of Antarctic Pseudomonas syringae Lz4W

Abstract

Nucleic acid metabolism plays an important role in adaptation of organisms to environment. For adaptation to cold environment, organisms need to overcome the impediments in complex RNA secondary structures that are highly stabilized at low temperature affecting metabolism and growth of the organisms. Employing gene disruption through homologous recombination, we investigated the role of all major DEAD box RNA helicases (rhlE, srmB, csdA, dbpA and rhlB) in cold adapted growth of Pseudomonas syringae. Our findings concluded that srmB and dbpA genes are important for cold adapted growth, whereas csdA is indispensable for growth at low temperature. Helicase genes rhlB and rhlE have no appreciable role in cold adapted growth of Pseudomonas syringae. Functional complementation studies revealed that RNA helicases dont have any redundant functions, as the roles performed by different helicases are individual and specific.