SONATA grant to investigate the mechanisms underlying bacterial infections

23 06 2026

Dr Karolina Jaworska from the Department of Molecular Microbiology (Institute of Microbiology) has received funding of PLN 1,508,157 from the National Science Centre under the SONATA 21 call for the project entitled “The Second Chaperone: Mapping the ProQ-Centered sRNA Regulon”.

Yersinia enterocolitica is a gastrointestinal pathogen responsible for a range of human diseases, from mild diarrhea to severe intestinal infections. During its life cycle, the bacterium occupies two remarkably different environments: the external environment, where it survives in water and soil, and the host organism, where it must adapt to conditions encountered during infection. Successful survival in these distinct niches requires rapid and precise regulation of genes involved in metabolism, stress adaptation, and virulence.

A key role in this adaptive response is played by small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs), which enable bacteria to fine-tune gene expression quickly and with minimal energy costs. The activity of sRNAs depends on RNA-binding proteins known as RNA chaperones. For many years, the Hfq protein was considered the principal bacterial RNA chaperone. Recent discoveries, however, suggest that another protein, ProQ, may act as a second global regulator by interacting with a distinct set of regulatory RNAs.

The aim of this project is to uncover the role of ProQ in Y. enterocolitica and to understand how it contributes to bacterial survival and infection. We will identify ProQ-associated sRNAs, characterize the genes they regulate, and investigate how ProQ influences important physiological traits, including motility, biofilm formation, stress responses, and virulence factor production. To achieve this, the project combines state-of-the-art transcriptomic and proteomic approaches under conditions that mimic both environmental and host-associated habitats.

The results will provide fundamental insights into gene regulation in bacterial pathogens and reveal how RNA-based regulatory networks contribute to infection and adaptation. In the long term, this knowledge may support the development of innovative antibacterial strategies based on RNA-mediated gene silencing. Such approaches could offer highly targeted alternatives to conventional antibiotics, helping to combat bacterial infections while minimizing disruption of the beneficial microbiota.

We warmly congratulate her on receiving the grant and wish her every success with the project!

Details of the National Science Centre funding calls are available at:
https://www.ncn.gov.pl/aktualnosci/2026-06-11-wyniki-opus30-sonata21