We identified a 35-residue long bacterial non-coding RNA (FimR2) during stationary phase that is capable of simultaneously modulating biofilm formation, cell motility and virulence. To do so, FimR2 utilizes its single-stranded region to hybridize to several mRNA targets and uses its hairpin-structure for sequestration of the regulatory protein CsrA.
Our work positions FimR2 as a master regulator of gene expression in E. coli and Salmonella, employing multitasking to coordinate biofilm formation and virulence.

This work was carried out by Nicole Raad & colleagues in the group of Prof. Norbert Polacek in the context of the NCCR "RNA and Disease".

References:

• N. Raad, D. Tandon, S. Hapfelmeier, N. Polacek;
  "The stationary phase-specific sRNA FimR2 is a multifunctional regulator of bacterial motility, biofilm formation and virulence"
  bioRxiv, 2022.02.17.480891, preprint; doi:10.1101/2022.02.17.480891 &
  Nucleic Acids Research, 2022, 50(20), 11858-11875; doi:10.1093/nar/gkac1025.