Exploring the regulatory role of RNase III (Rnc) and protein–protein interaction network during stress responses in Nostoc PCC 7524

Abstract

Cyanobacteria are abundant autotrophic prokaryotes that can survive in changing environmental conditions by modifying their transcriptomes through different regulatory pathways. The Rnc and Mrnc proteins crucially regulate gene expression by functioning in RNA processing at the post-transcriptional level under both standard and environmental stress conditions. Despite the critical roles of Rnc and Mrnc in cyanobacteria, their structural attributes have not been extensively studied till date, either computationally or experimentally. Therefore, in the current study, we investigated the structure of Rnc and Mrnc proteins in Nostoc PCC 7524, a well-studied organism for the production of bio-fertilisers and metabolites. Further, the structural stability and compactness of both the proteins were established through in silico docking and molecular dynamics simulations to understand their biological significance and role in adaptation to stressful environmental conditions. Conclusively, the obtained stable Rnc and Mrnc complex from Nostoc sp. PCC 7524 suggests its potential unexplored role in gene regulation and cellular stress adaptation.

Keywords

Nostoc PCC 7524 / RNase III (Rnc) / Stress response / Molecular docking / Molecular dynamics simulation / Protein–protein interaction

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