A ribosome-dependent small-ORF switch controls flagellar gene expression and virulence

A naturally occurring 54-nucleotide tesORF upstream of fliF in Salmonella enterica enhances translation of the fliFGHIJK flagellar operon and supports motility and virulence phenotypes.

• Why it matters: Flagellar gene expression depends on translation control, but how small, unannotated ORFs reshape RNA structure to regulate operons and virulence is unclear.
• What they did: Using nucleotide-resolution ribosome profiling plus genetic, transcriptomic, and biochemical assays, the study mapped tesORF translation to RNA structural remodeling that exposes the fliF ribosome-binding site.
• The result: Disrupting tesORF translation lowered downstream operon expression and impaired motility and virulence-associated phenotypes in Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Yersinia, linking RNA dynamics to flagellar regulon output.

AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.