It is now established that base-pairing regulatory RNAs are key players in post-transcriptional regulatory networks where they affect the translation and/or stability of their target RNAs. In many cases, the base-pairing between two RNAs is facilitated by an RNA-binding protein (RBP) that serves as an RNA chaperone. Recent advances in sequencing methods have revealed the RNA populations bound by the RBPs, yielding insights valuable into regulatory networks. Further analyses of these networks can improve our understanding of the roles played by RBPs in the regulation of gene expression by regulatory RNAs, especially when multiple RBPs are involved. For example, using an RNA sequencing-based methodology that captures RNA–RNA pairs on RBP, an interplay between two RBPs in bacteria that compete on the same RNA–RNA pair was revealed. In this case, one protein promotes negative regulation of the target RNA, while the second protein can block this regulation. In this mini-review, I outline the exciting future directions that can be taken to deepen our understanding of the roles played by RBPs in post-transcriptional regulation, and discuss how the different sequencing methods can assist in deciphering the relationships among RBPs, and between the RBPs and the RNAs they bind. Having a more detailed picture of the RBPs–RNAs network will elucidate how bacteria can have nuanced control of gene expression, critical for survival in the varied environments in which bacteria live.

现在已经确定碱基配对调控 RNA 是转录后调控网络中的关键参与者，它们影响其目标 RNA 的翻译和/或稳定性。在许多情况下，作为 RNA 分子伴侣的 RNA 结合蛋白 (RBP) 促进了两个 RNA 之间的碱基配对。测序方法的最新进展揭示了受 RBP 约束的 RNA 种群，从而产生了对监管网络有价值的见解。对这些网络的进一步分析可以提高我们对 RBP 在调节 RNA 对基因表达的调节中所扮演的角色的理解，尤其是当涉及多个 RBP 时。例如，使用基于 RNA 测序的方法捕获 RBP 上的 RNA-RNA 对，揭示了细菌中竞争同一 RNA-RNA 对的两个 RBP 之间的相互作用。在这种情况下，一种蛋白质促进目标 RNA 的负调节，而第二种蛋白质可以阻断这种调节。在这篇简短的评论中，我概述了可以用来加深我们对 RBPs 在转录后调控中的作用的理解的令人兴奋的未来方向，并讨论不同的测序方法如何帮助破译 RBPs 之间的关系，以及RBP 和它们结合的 RNA。更详细地了解 RBPs-RNAs 网络将阐明细菌如何对基因表达进行细微的控制，这对于细菌在不同环境中的生存至关重要。我概述了可以用来加深我们对 RBPs 在转录后调控中的作用的理解的令人兴奋的未来方向，并讨论不同的测序方法如何帮助破译 RBPs 之间的关系，以及 RBPs 和它们之间的关系绑定。更详细地了解 RBPs-RNAs 网络将阐明细菌如何对基因表达进行细微的控制，这对于细菌在不同环境中的生存至关重要。我概述了可以用来加深我们对 RBPs 在转录后调控中的作用的理解的令人兴奋的未来方向，并讨论不同的测序方法如何帮助破译 RBPs 之间的关系，以及 RBPs 和它们之间的关系绑定。更详细地了解 RBPs-RNAs 网络将阐明细菌如何对基因表达进行细微的控制，这对于细菌在不同环境中的生存至关重要。