Udo BLÄSI

E-mail: udo.blaesi(at)univie.ac.at
Phone: 0043 1 4277 54609
Research Group: https://www.maxperutzlabs.ac.at/research/research-groups/blaesi
Institution: Max Perutz Labs/UniWien

Full member of the DoktoratsKolleg (DK) RNA Biology since 2007.
Full member of the Focus Regulatory RNA (SFB RNA-REG) since 2011.

PhD students within/associated to the DK:

Petra Pusic
Marlena Rozner
Branisav Lilic
Anastasia Cianciulli Sesso

DK RNA Biology alumni & their thesis:

Muralidhar Tata: “Identification and characterization of novel regulatory RNAs in Pseudomonas aeruginosa during anaerobiosis”
Alessandra Romeo: “Characterization of small non-coding RNA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa”
Hermann Hämmerle: “Function of Hfq protein in different bacteria”

For complete list of group members please visit the Bläsi group website.

 

Our research:

The opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major cause of nosocomial infections.  We have previously identified P. aeruginosa regulatory RNAs that impact on virulence gene expression. Some of these sRNAs are expressed in response to nitrogen or oxygen deprivation, whereby the latter condition can become prevalent in Pseudomonas biofilms present in the lung of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The main focus of this project is the identification and functional analysis of regulatory RNAs as well as the elucidation of their impact on gene networks under conditions that mimic growth of the clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 strain in CF lungs.

 

Publications: (since 2007)


Indications for a moonlighting function of translation factor aIF5A in the crenarchaeum Sulfolobus solfataricus.
Bassani F, Zink IA, Pribasnig T, Wolfinger MT, Romagnoli A, Resch A, Schleper C, Bläsi U, La Teana A.
RNA Biol. 2019 May;16(5):675-685.

Architectural principles for Hfq/Crc-mediated regulation of gene expression.
Pei XY, Dendooven T, Sonnleitner E, Chen S, Bläsi U, Luisi BF.
Elife. 2019 Feb 13;8.

Harnessing Metabolic Regulation to Increase Hfq-Dependent Antibiotic Susceptibility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Pusic P, Sonnleitner E, Krennmayr B, Heitzinger DA, Wolfinger MT, Resch A, Bläsi U.
Front Microbiol. 2018 Nov 9;9:2709.

Negative Control of RpoS Synthesis by the sRNA ReaL in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Thi Bach Nguyen H, Romero A D, Amman F, Sorger-Domenigg T, Tata M, Sonnleitner E, Bläsi U.
Front Microbiol. 2018 Oct 29;9:2488.

Modification of translation factor aIF5A from Sulfolobus solfataricus.
Bassani F, Romagnoli A, Cacciamani T, Amici A, Benelli D, Londei P, Märtens B, Bläsi U, La Teana A.
Extremophiles. 2018 Sep;22(5):769-780.

Interplay between the catabolite repression control protein Crc, Hfq and RNA in Hfq-dependent translational regulation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Sonnleitner E, Wulf A, Campagne S, Pei XY, Wolfinger MT, Forlani G, Prindl K, Abdou L, Resch A, Allain FH, Luisi BF, Urlaub H, Bläsi U.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2018 Feb 16;46(3):1470-1485.

The Anaerobically Induced sRNA PaiI Affects Denitrification in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14.
Tata M, Amman F, Pawar V, Wolfinger MT, Weiss S, Häussler S, Bläsi U.
Front Microbiol. 2017 Nov 23;8:2312.

The SmAP2 RNA binding motif in the 3’UTR affects mRNA stability in the crenarchaeum Sulfolobus solfataricus.
Märtens B, Sharma K, Urlaub H, Bläsi U.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2017 Sep 6;45(15):8957-8967.

The SmAP1/2 proteins of the crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus interact with the exosome and stimulate A-rich tailing of transcripts.
Märtens B, Hou L, Amman F, Wolfinger MT, Evguenieva-Hackenberg E, Bläsi U.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2017 Jul 27;45(13):7938-7949.

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa CrcZ RNA interferes with Hfq-mediated riboregulation.
Sonnleitner E, Prindl K, Bläsi U.
PLoS One. 2017 Jul 7;12(7):e0180887.

Cross-regulation by CrcZ RNA controls anoxic biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Pusic P, Tata M, Wolfinger MT, Sonnleitner E, Häussler S, Bläsi U.
Sci Rep. 2016 Dec 21;6:39621.

RNASeq Based Transcriptional Profiling of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 after Short- and Long-Term Anoxic Cultivation in Synthetic Cystic Fibrosis Sputum Medium.
Tata M, Wolfinger MT, Amman F, Roschanski N, Dötsch A, Sonnleitner E, Häussler S, Bläsi U.
PLoS One. 2016 Jan 28;11(1):e0147811.

Binding of the 5′-Triphosphate End of mRNA to the γ-Subunit of Translation Initiation Factor 2 of the Crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus.
Arkhipova V, Stolboushkina E, Kravchenko O, Kljashtorny V, Gabdulkhakov A, Garber M, Nikonov S, Märtens B, Bläsi U, Nikonov O.
J Mol Biol. 2015 Sep 25;427(19):3086-95.

The Heptameric SmAP1 and SmAP2 Proteins of the Crenarchaeon Sulfolobus Solfataricus Bind to Common and Distinct RNA Targets.
Märtens B, Bezerra GA, Kreuter MJ, Grishkovskaya I, Manica A, Arkhipova V, Djinovic-Carugo K, Bläsi U.
Life (Basel). 2015 Apr 21;5(2):1264-81.

Development of giant bacteriophage ϕKZ is independent of the host transcription apparatus.
Ceyssens PJ, Minakhin L, Van den Bossche A, Yakunina M, Klimuk E, Blasdel B, De Smet J, Noben JP, Bläsi U, Severinov K, Lavigne R.
J Virol. 2014 Sep;88(18):10501-10

Regulation of Hfq by the RNA CrcZ in Pseudomonas aeruginosa carbon catabolite repression.
Sonnleitner E, Bläsi U.
PLoS Genet. 2014 Jun 19;10(6):e1004440.

Impact of Hfq on the Bacillus subtilis transcriptome.
Hämmerle H, Amman F, Večerek B, Stülke J, Hofacker I, Bläsi U.
PLoS One. 2014 Jun 16;9(6):e98661.

Back to translation: removal of aIF2 from the 5′-end of mRNAs by translation recovery factor in the crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus.
Märtens B, Manoharadas S, Hasenöhrl D, Zeichen L, Bläsi U.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2014 Feb;42(4):2505-11

Duplex formation between the sRNA DsrA and rpoS mRNA is not sufficient for efficient RpoS synthesis at low temperature.
Hämmerle H, Večerek B, Resch A, Bläsi U.
RNA Biol. 2013 Dec;10(12):1834-41.

Alterations of the transcriptome of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius by exoribonuclease aCPSF2.
Märtens B, Amman F, Manoharadas S, Zeichen L, Orell A, Albers SV, Hofacker I, Bläsi U.
PLoS One. 2013 Oct 7;8(10):e76569.

Bacterial helicases in post-transcriptional control.
Kaberdin VR, Bläsi U.
Biochim Biophys Acta. 2013 Aug;1829(8):878-83.

Antisense regulation by transposon-derived RNAs in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus.
Märtens B, Manoharadas S, Hasenöhrl D, Manica A, Bläsi U.
EMBO Rep. 2013 Jun;14(6):527-33.

False positive RNA binding activities after Ni-affinity purification from Escherichia coli.
Milojevic T, Sonnleitner E, Romeo A, Djinović-Carugo K, Bläsi U.
RNA Biol. 2013 Jun;10(6):1066-9.

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa catabolite repression control protein Crc is devoid of RNA binding activity.
Milojevic T, Grishkovskaya I, Sonnleitner E, Djinovic-Carugo K, Bläsi U.
PLoS One. 2013 May 23;8(5):e64609.

Attack from both ends: mRNA degradation in the crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus.
Evguenieva-Hackenberg E, Bläsi U.
Biochem Soc Trans. 2013 Feb 1;41(1):379-83.

Translation initiation in the crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus: eukaryotic features but bacterial route.
La Teana A, Benelli D, Londei P, Bläsi U.
Biochem Soc Trans. 2013 Feb 1;41(1):350-5.

Structural flexibility of RNA as molecular basis for Hfq chaperone function.
Ribeiro Ede A Jr, Beich-Frandsen M, Konarev PV, Shang W, Vecerek B, Kontaxis G, Hämmerle H, Peterlik H, Svergun DI, Bläsi U, Djinović-Carugo K.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2012 Sep;40(16):8072-84.

Transcriptional regulation of nitrate assimilation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa occurs via transcriptional antitermination within the nirBD-PA1779-cobA operon.
Romeo A, Sonnleitner E, Sorger-Domenigg T, Nakano M, Eisenhaber B, Bläsi U.
Microbiology. 2012 Jun;158(Pt 6):1543-52.

Small regulatory RNAs in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Sonnleitner E, Romeo A, Bläsi U.
RNA Biol. 2012 Apr;9(4):364-71.

Structural and biochemical studies on ATP binding and hydrolysis by the Escherichia coli RNA chaperone Hfq.
Hämmerle H, Beich-Frandsen M, Večerek B, Rajkowitsch L, Carugo O, Djinović-Carugo K, Bläsi U.
PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e50892.

Structural insights into the dynamics and function of the C-terminus of the E. coli RNA chaperone Hfq.
Beich-Frandsen M, Vecerek B, Konarev PV, Sjöblom B, Kloiber K, Hämmerle H, Rajkowitsch L, Miles AJ, Kontaxis G, Wallace BA, Svergun DI, Konrat R, Bläsi U, Djinovic-Carugo K.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2011 Jun;39(11):4900-15.

Structural analysis of full-length Hfq from Escherichia coli.
Beich-Frandsen M, Večerek B, Sjöblom B, Bläsi U, Djinović-Carugo K.
Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun. 2011 May 1;67(Pt 5):536-40.

The small RNA PhrS stimulates synthesis of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa quinolone signal.
Sonnleitner E, Gonzalez N, Sorger-Domenigg T, Heeb S, Richter AS, Backofen R, Williams P, Hüttenhofer A, Haas D, Bläsi U.
Mol Microbiol. 2011 May;80(4):868-85.

Identification of an RNase J ortholog in Sulfolobus solfataricus: implications for 5′-to-3′ directional decay and 5′-end protection of mRNA in Crenarchaeota.
Hasenöhrl D, Konrat R, Bläsi U.
RNA. 2011 Jan;17(1):99-107

Requirement of the CsdA DEAD-box helicase for low temperature riboregulation of rpoS mRNA.
Resch A, Većerek B, Palavra K, Bläsi U.
RNA Biol. 2010 Nov-Dec;7(6):796-802.

Translational activation of rpoS mRNA by the non-coding RNA DsrA and Hfq does not require ribosome binding.
Vecerek B, Beich-Frandsen M, Resch A, Bläsi U.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2010 Mar;38(4):1284-93

Translation initiation complex formation in the crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus.
Hasenöhrl D, Fabbretti A, Londei P, Gualerzi CO, Bläsi U.
RNA. 2009 Dec;15(12):2288-98.

Antimicrobial activity of a chimeric enzybiotic towards Staphylococcus aureus.
Manoharadas S, Witte A, Bläsi U.
J Biotechnol. 2009 Jan 1;139(1):118-23

A single mutation in the IF3 N-terminal domain perturbs the fidelity of translation initiation at three levels.
Maar D, Liveris D, Sussman JK, Ringquist S, Moll I, Heredia N, Kil A, Bläsi U, Schwartz I, Simons RW.
J Mol Biol. 2008 Nov 28;383(5):937-44.

Crystal structure of the intact archaeal translation initiation factor 2 demonstrates very high conformational flexibility in the alpha- and beta-subunits.
Stolboushkina E, Nikonov S, Nikulin A, Bläsi U, Manstein DJ, Fedorov R, Garber M, Nikonov O.
J Mol Biol. 2008 Oct 10;382(3):680-91.

Detection of small RNAs in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by RNomics and structure-based bioinformatic tools.
Sonnleitner E, Sorger-Domenigg T, Madej MJ, Findeiss S, Hackermüller J, Hüttenhofer A, Stadler PF, Bläsi U, Moll I.
Microbiology. 2008 Oct;154(Pt 10):3175-87.

Translational activation by the noncoding RNA DsrA involves alternative RNase III processing in the rpoS 5′-leader.
Resch A, Afonyushkin T, Lombo TB, McDowall KJ, Bläsi U, Kaberdin VR.
RNA. 2008 Mar;14(3):454-9.

Translation initiation factor a/eIF2(-gamma) counteracts 5′ to 3′ mRNA decay in the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus.
Hasenöhrl D, Lombo T, Kaberdin V, Londei P, Bläsi U.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Feb 12;105(6):2146-50.

The C-terminal domain of Escherichia coli Hfq is required for regulation.
Vecerek B, Rajkowitsch L, Sonnleitner E, Schroeder R, Bläsi U.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2008 Jan;36(1):133-43.

RNA chaperones, RNA annealers and RNA helicases.
Rajkowitsch L, Chen D, Stampfl S, Semrad K, Waldsich C, Mayer O, Jantsch MF, Konrat R, Bläsi U, Schroeder R.
RNA Biol. 2007 Nov;4(3):118-30. Review.

New insights into the interactions of the translation initiation factor 2 from archaea with guanine nucleotides and initiator tRNA.
Nikonov O, Stolboushkina E, Nikulin A, Hasenöhrl D, Bläsi U, Manstein DJ, Fedorov R, Garber M, Nikonov S.
J Mol Biol. 2007 Oct 19;373(2):328-36.

Bacteriophage-encoded toxins: the lambda-holin protein causes caspase-independent non-apoptotic cell death of eukaryotic cells.
Agu CA, Klein R, Lengler J, Schilcher F, Gregor W, Peterbauer T, Bläsi U, Salmons B, Günzburg WH, Hohenadl C.
Cell Microbiol. 2007 Jul;9(7):1753-65. Epub 2007 Mar 8.
Control of Fur synthesis by the non-coding RNA RyhB and iron-responsive decoding.
Vecerek B, Moll I, Bläsi U.
EMBO J. 2007 Feb 21;26(4):965-75. Epub 2007 Feb 1.

Distinct and overlapping binding sites of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Hfq and RsmA proteins on the non-coding RNA RsmY.
Sorger-Domenigg T, Sonnleitner E, Kaberdin VR, Bläsi U.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Jan 19;352(3):769-73.