Abstract
This study provides evidence that transposon-derived antisense RNAs in the hyperthermophilic archaeon
Sulfolobus solfataricus
can regulate gene expression
in trans
.
We report the first example of antisense RNA regulation in a hyperthermophilic archaeon. In
Sulfolobus solfataricus
, the transposon-derived paralogous RNAs, RNA-257
1–4
, show extended complementarity to the 3′ UTR of the
1183
mRNA, encoding a putative phosphate transporter. Phosphate limitation results in decreased RNA-257
1
and increased
1183
mRNA levels. Correspondingly, the
1183
mRNA is faster degraded
in vitro
upon duplex formation with RNA-257
1
. Insertion of the
1183
3′ UTR downstream of the
lacS
gene results in strongly reduced
lacS
mRNA levels in transformed cells, indicating that antisense regulation can function in
trans
.