Post-transcriptional control of cell division in Mycobacteria

Mycobacteria differ from Gram+ve and Gram-ve model organisms, and we know little about
their RNA biology. We have found that expression of the cell division protein FtsZ is
controlled on multiple levels in mycobacteria and we will explore the regulatory roles of a
transcription factor, a highly structured, autoinhibotory 5'UTR and a cis-encoded antisense
RNA. We will employ well-established and novel molecular biology and computational
methods to define the roles of each regulator in fast-growing and slow-growing mycobacteria.
The successful completion of this project will inform us about basic molecular mechanisms
associated with cell division in important microorganisms.