Membrane Localization of RNase Y Is Important for Global Gene Expression in Bacillus subtilis

Abstract

RNase Y is a key endoribonuclease that regulates global mRNA turnover and processing in Bacillus subtilis and likely many other bacteria. This enzyme is anchored to the cell membrane, creating a pseudo-compartmentalization that aligns with its role in initiating the decay of mRNAs primarily translated at the cell periphery. However, the reasons behind and the consequences of RNase Y’s membrane attachment remain largely unknown. In our study, we examined a strain expressing wild-type levels of a cytoplasmic form of RNase Y from its chromosomal locus. This strain exhibits a slow-growth phenotype, similar to that of an RNase Y null mutant. Genome-wide data reveal a significant impact on the expression of hundreds of genes. While certain RNA substrates clearly depend on RNase Y’s membrane attachment, others do not. We observed no correlation between mRNA stabilization in the mutant strains and the cellular location or function of the encoded proteins. Interestingly, the Y-complex, a specificity factor for RNase Y, also appears also recognize the cytoplasmic form of the enzyme, restoring wild-type levels of the corresponding transcripts. We propose that membrane attachment of RNase Y is crucial for its functional interaction with many coding and non-coding RNAs, limiting the cleavage of specific substrates, and potentially avoiding unfavorable competition with other ribonucleases like RNase J, which shares a similar evolutionarily conserved cleavage specificity.