Non-coding Small RNAs (sRNAs) in Prokaryotic Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) occur in all kingdoms of life and have become increasingly recognized as a novel class of gene expression regulators. Interestingly, in recent years many sRNA sequences were discovered not only in multicellular organisms, but also in the genomes of wide range of bacteria (also pathogenic species) and bacteriophages (shortly phages). In the case of bacteria, these mysterious molecules affect many important processes such as carbon metabolism, virulence, colonization ability, motility, quorum sensing, biofilm formation, bacterial adaptation to changing conditions, response to stress and cell growth or death. In turn, sRNAs of phage origin play essential roles during the early stage of infection, maintaining the state of lysogeny and silencing the expression of late structural genes, thereby regulating the transition between phage life cycles. However, in comparison to the very large number of reports concerning eukaryotic sRNA molecules, current knowledge about such regulatory particles in prokaryotic systems is only “a drop in the ocean” and there is an urgent need to continue research in this field. In this light, the aim of this Special Issue is to collect and publish results of studies, as well as critical review articles on recent achievements in bacteria- and phages-derived sRNAs unexplored research area. Manuscripts on processes studied on the genome, transcriptome, proteome and metabolome levels will be desirable.

Dr. Alicja Wegrzyn
Dr. Sylwia Bloch
Dr. Monika Maciag-Dorszynska
Guest Editors

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