A Small RNA Encoded in the Rv2660c Locus of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Is Induced during Starvation and Infection
Figure 4
Expression of ncRv12659 during infection.
Mycobacterial RNA extracted from tissues of mice infected with PhiRv2-positive M. tuberculosis H37Rv or PhiRv2-negative M. tuberculosis N0072 was compared to RNA from exponential and starved cultures of the same strains. The levels of ncRv12659 was measured by qRT-PCR using amplicons specific for the 5′ or 3′ regions of ncRv12659 and normalised to the level of 16S rRNA. ncRv12659 was induced during infection, though to a lower extent than during in vitro starvation; the 5′ portion of the sRNA accumulated to levels much higher than the 3′ end. The low level of 3′ amplicon detected in in vitro cultures of N0072 was not seen in vivo. Data represent mean and standard deviation of three biological replicates.