Pathogenic bacteria must rapidly adapt to ever‐changing environmental signals resulting in metabolism remodeling. The carbon catabolite repression, mediated by the catabolite control protein A (CcpA), is used to express genes involved in utilization and metabolism of the preferred carbon source. Here, we have identified RsaI as a CcpA‐repressed small non‐coding RNA that is inhibited by high glucose concentrations. When glucose is consumed, RsaI represses translation initiation of mRNAs encoding a permease of glucose uptake and the FN3K enzyme that protects proteins against damage caused by high glucose concentrations. RsaI also binds to the 3′ untranslated region of icaR mRNA encoding the transcriptional repressor of exopolysaccharide production and to sRNAs induced by the uptake of glucose‐6 phosphate or nitric oxide. Furthermore, RsaI expression is accompanied by a decreased transcription of genes involved in carbon catabolism pathway and an activation of genes involved in energy production, fermentation, and nitric oxide detoxification. This multifaceted RNA can be considered as a metabolic signature when glucose becomes scarce and growth is arrested.
Staphylococcus aureus is usually described as an extracellular opportunistic pathogen, infecting a wide range of organs and tissues.However, it also invades and replicates in various phagocytic or nonphagocytic host cells (Hamza & Li, 2014). To be successful as a pathogen, this bacterium needs to adapt to the hostile environment of the host and must acquire imposed nutriments for its survival.Consequently, the staphylococcal genome encodes several transporters for metabolites (sugars, metals, amino acids, etc.), which are
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