3′ Untranslated Region-Dependent Degradation of the aceA mRNA, Encoding the Glyoxylate Cycle Enzyme Isocitrate Lyase, by RNase E/G in Corynebacterium glutamicum

We previously reported that the Corynebacterium glutamicum RNase E/G encoded by the rneG gene (NCgl2281) is required for the 5' maturation of 5S rRNA. In the search for the intracellular target RNAs of RNase E/G other than the 5S rRNA precursor, we detected that the amount of isocitrate lyase, an enzyme of the glyoxylate cycle, increased in rneG knockout mutant cells grown on sodium acetate as the sole carbon source. Rifampin chase experiments showed that the half-life of the aceA mRNA was about 4 times longer in the rneG knockout mutant than in the wild type. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis also confirmed that the level of aceA mRNA was approximately 3-fold higher in the rneG knockout mutant strain than in the wild type. Such differences were not observed in other mRNAs encoding enzymes involved in acetate metabolism. Analysis by 3' rapid amplification of cDNA ends suggested that RNase E/G cleaves the aceA mRNA at a single-stranded AU-rich region in the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR). The lacZ fusion assay showed that the 3'-UTR rendered lacZ mRNA RNase E/G dependent. These findings indicate that RNase E/G is a novel regulator of the glyoxylate cycle in C. glutamicum.