MtvR regulates <i>hfq</i>_Ec expression through interaction with its 5′-leader region.

<p>(A) Schematic representation of the nucleotide interaction between the 5′-UTR of <i>hfq</i>_Ec and the MtvR sRNA, highlighting in green and red lettering, respectively, the RBS and the AUG translation start site in the <i>hfq</i>_Ec 5′-UTR. (B) EMSA experiments using 25 nM of biotin-labeled MtvR transcript and the indicated concentrations of: left panel, the <i>hfq</i>_Ec full mRNA; center panel, the <i>hfq</i>_Ec coding region (CDS); right panel, the 5′-UTR of <i>hfq</i>_Ec. C) EMSA experiments performed to assess the ability of Hfq_Bc to bind to: left panel, 25 nM of the biotin-labeled <i>hfq</i>_Ec full mRNA; center panel, 25 nM of the biotin-labeled <i>hfq</i>_Ec 5′-UTR. The ability of mixtures containing Hfq_Bc together with the tested concentrations of the MtvR transcript to bind to 25 nM of the biotin-labeled <i>hfq</i>_Ec full mRNA is shown in the right panel. H_(n), Hfq_Bc(n); R₁, MtvR; R₂, <i>hfq</i>_Ec RNA; k_DP, affinity constant for the protein; k_DR, affinity constant for the RNA species.