While the function and mechanism of small regulatory RNAs in Bacteria and Eukarya have been analysed in detail, not much is known about the occurence and function of regulatory RNAs in the third domain of life, the Archaea. In the last funding period, we identified the small RNA (sRNA) population of the halophilic archaeon Haloferax volcanii with three different experimental and two bioinformatic methods. Taken together more than 200 potential regulatory RNAs were identified. In addition, we could show that deletion of sRNA genes is feasible and in most cases not lethal. In the next funding period, our main goal is to identify targets of the identified potential regulatory sRNAs. This will allow the characterisation of the sRNA-target interaction in detail and to identify the mechanism of archaeal sRNA regulation.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
