# The roles of sRNA in the physiology and pathogenesis of Mycobacterium abscessus and other mycobacteria

> **NIH NIH R21** · WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE · 2022 · $173,447

## Abstract

Project summary/abstract
Mycobacteria cause several human diseases including tuberculosis and leprosy. Mycobacterium abscessus
causes serious lung disease particularly in cystic fibrosis patients. M. abscessus infections are especially
difficult to treat because the bacteria are intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics. Development of improved
therapies requires more information about how M. abscessus regulates its physiology in response to the
stressful conditions that it encounters during infection. Regulation of gene expression is a key component of
stress responses for most organisms. Small RNAs (sRNAs) have been found to play important roles in gene
regulation in a number of other bacterial pathogens. However, little is known about how sRNAs regulate gene
expression and contribute to the pathogenesis of mycobacteria, particularly M. abscessus. There is less known
about the biology of M. abscessus in general compared to other better-studied mycobacteria, in large part
because M. abscessus is difficult to genetically manipulate. We will harness state-of-the-art technologies for
both genetic engineering of M. abscessus and the study of sRNAs, in order to address some of the most
pressing questions in mycobacterial sRNA biology. We will (1) determine the mechanisms by which the sRNA
B11 regulates activity of a secretion system and other virulence-associated phenotypes in M. abscessus, and
(2) identify proteins involved in mycobacterial sRNA function and characterize their roles. The proposed studies
will provide foundational knowledge needed to facilitate development of more effective treatments for
mycobacterial diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10437954
- **Project number:** 5R21AI156415-02
- **Recipient organization:** WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Scarlet Sara Shell
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $173,447
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-06-24 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10437954

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10437954, The roles of sRNA in the physiology and pathogenesis of Mycobacterium abscessus and other mycobacteria (5R21AI156415-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10437954. Licensed CC0.

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