2',3'-Cyclic Mononucleotide metabolism and possible roles in bacterial physiology

Novel intracellular small molecules, 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide monophosphates (2',3'-cNMPs), have recently been discovered within both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Within plants and mammals, wounding has been found to increase levels of 2',3'-cNMPs. Initial studies in prokaryotes have identified both intra- and extracellular 2',3'-cNMPs within bacterial culture, with recent work demonstrating that 2',3'-cNMP levels affect bacterial gene expression to impact phenotypes such as biofilm formation. The enzyme responsible for 2',3'-cNMP production in Escherichia coli has been identified and proteins potentially involved in 20,30-cNMP hydrolysis are currently under investigation. Furthermore, the development of tools to modulate 2',3'-cNMP levels in bacteria now allows for directly probing the effects of altered 2',3'-cNMP concentrations in bacteria. Controlled perturbation of 2',3'-cNMP pools in tandem with gene expression analyses highlighted potential signaling pathways and identify other proteins involved in 20,30-cNMP metabolism and sensing. By dissecting the cellular roles of 2',3'- cNMPs within bacteria, these ongoing studies highlight novel pathways within prokaryotes which potentially can be engineered to control bacterial proliferation.