Construction of an rsmX co-variance model and identification of five rsmX non-coding RNAs in Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are important components of many regulatory pathways and have key roles in regulating diverse functions. In the Pseudomonads, the two-component system, GacA/S, directly regulates at least two well-characterized ncRNAs, RsmZ and RsmY, which act by sequestration of translation repressor proteins to control expression of various exoproducts. Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0 possesses a third ncRNA, RsmX, which also participates in this regulatory pathway. In this study we confirmed expression of five rsmX ncRNAs in Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000, and determined the distribution of the members of the rsmX ncRNA family by screening available genomic sequences of the Pseudomonads. Variable numbers of the rsmX family exist in Pseudomonas genomes, with up to five paralogs in Pseudomonas syringae strains. In Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000, the rsmX genes are 112 to 120 nucleotides in size and are predicted by structural analysis to contain multiple exposed GGA motifs, which is consistent with structural features of the Rsm ncRNAs. We also found that these rsmX ncRNA genes share a conserved upstream region suggesting that their expression is dependent upon the global response regulator, GacA.