Antisense regulation by transposon-derived RNAs in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

Abstract

We report the first example of antisense RNA regulation in a hyperthermophilic archaeon. In Sulfolobus solfataricus, the transposon-derived paralogous RNAs, RNA-257 1-4, show extended complementarity to the 3′ UTR of the 1183 mRNA, encoding a putative phosphate transporter. Phosphate limitation results in decreased RNA-257 1 and increased 1183 mRNA levels. Correspondingly, the 1183 mRNA is faster degraded in vitro upon duplex formation with RNA-257 1. Insertion of the 1183 3′ UTR downstream of the lacS gene results in strongly reduced lacS mRNA levels in transformed cells, indicating that antisense regulation can function in trans. © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization.