Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium present in many ecological niches, such as plant roots, stagnant water or even the pipes of our homes. Naturally very versatile, it can cause acute and chronic infections that are potentially fatal for people with weakened immune systems. The presence of P. aeruginosa in clinical settings, where it can colonise respirators and catheters, is a serious threat. In addition, its adaptability and resistance to many antibiotics make infections by P. aeruginosa increasingly difficult to treat. There is therefore an urgent need to develop new antibacterials. Scientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, have identified a previously unknown regulator of gene expression in this bacterium, the absence of which significantly reduces the infectious power of P. aeruginosa and its dangerous nature. These results, to be published in the journal Nucleic Acid Research, could constitute an innovative target in the fight against this pathogen.
RNA helicases perform essential regulatory functions by binding and unwinding various RNA molecules to perform their functions. RNA helicases are present in the genomes of almost all known living organisms, including bacteria, yeast, plants, and humans; however, they have acquired specific properties depending on the organism in which they are found. “Pseudomonas aeruginosa has an RNA helicase whose function was unknown, but which was found in other pathogens”, explains Martina Valentini, a researcher leading this research in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine at UNIGE Faculty of Medicine, and holder of an SNSF “Ambizione» grant. “We wanted to understand what its role was, in particular in relation to the pathogenesis of the bacteria and their environmental adaptation.”
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