Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42611921›Full record

ArticlePLoS pathogens2026

Phage-encoded sRNA counteracts xenogeneic silencing in pathogenic E. coli.

Pranita Poudyal, Brandon Sy, Daniel G Mediati, Michael Payne, Vibhuti Nandel, Dougall Norris, Sean McAteer, Asim Ullah, Serena Li, Lawrence Menz and 9 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS pathogens, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Pranita PoudyalSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Brandon SySchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Daniel G MediatiAustralian Institute for Microbiology and Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia.
Michael PayneSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Vibhuti NandelSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Dougall NorrisSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Sean McAteerThe Roslin Institute, Division of Bacteriology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Asim UllahThe Roslin Institute, Division of Bacteriology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Serena LiSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Lawrence MenzSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Saleh AlquethamySchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-7340-0844
Jacob ScaddenSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Pietro RidoneSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-1614-8507
Shafagh WatersSchool of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Timothy J DallmanPublic Health Laboratory Innovation Platforms, WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, WHO Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, World Health Organization, Berlin, Germany.
Mathew BakerSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Ruiting LanSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
David GallyThe Roslin Institute, Division of Bacteriology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Jai J TreeSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-8233-0975

Funding

Australian Government Department of EducationAustralian Research CouncilNational Health and Medical Research Council
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Horizontal gene transfer introduces foreign DNA that can disrupt cellular processes and is therefore subject to xenogeneic silencing by nucleoid-associated proteins such as H-NS and Hha. In Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), prophages make up a large fraction of the accessory genome and encode many virulence factors, yet their expression must overcome this silencing. We identify a prophage-encoded small RNA (sRNA), HnrS, that functions as an anti-silencing factor by targeting the H-NS paralogue Hha. HnrS is a short (66-nt) sRNA that is enriched in the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE⁺) E. coli strains and present in up to nine copies in EHEC and Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) genomes. HnrS base-pairs with the hha ribosome-binding site to inhibit translation, thereby modulating Hha-H-NS repression of virulence loci including the LEE type III secretion system. Loss of HnrS alters motility, T3SS expression, and a subset of Hha-regulated genes. These findings reveal an RNA-based counter-silencing strategy encoded by prophage to relieve xenogenic silencing.

Indexed as

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coliEnteropathogenic Escherichia coliEscherichia coli ProteinsGene SilencingProphagesRNA, ViralDNA-Binding ProteinsGene Expression Regulation, BacterialPhosphoproteinsRNA, BacterialVirulence FactorsDNA-Binding ProteinsEscherichia coli Proteinshha protein, E coliLEE protein, E coliPhosphoproteinsRNA, BacterialRNA, ViralVirulence Factors

Identifiers

PMID42611921
PMCPMC13502914

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.