RNA Structural Dynamics in Bacterial Pathogens and Their Role in Environmental Adaptation

The development of molecular biology tools has transformed microbial research, enabling the discovery of new mechanisms underlying bacterial adaptation. Dynamic RNA structures, known as riboswitches, are used by bacterial species to sense environmental cues and trigger transcriptional reprogramming in response to environmental stress and host immune defences.

In this talk, I will first present my previous research, which investigated the global RNA structurome of the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus grown under different conditions. I will then outline my current research project, which focuses on the role of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa structurome in mediating the interaction between bacteria and host-derived stresses imposed by the immune system.

The characterization of novel riboswitch mechanisms in pathogenic bacteria represents a promising therapeutic avenue for infection control and a potential alternative strategy in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Online access* • LINK
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