sRNAs and the virulence of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

The combination of genomics and high-throughput cDNA sequencing technologies has facilitated the identification of many small RNAs (sRNAs) that play a central role in the post-transcriptional gene regulation of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. To date, most of the functionally characterized sRNAs have been involved in the regulation of processes which are not directly linked to virulence. Just five sRNAs have been found to affect the ability of Salmonella to replicate within mammalian cells, but the precise regulatory mechanisms that are used by sRNAs to control Salmonella pathogenicity at the post-transcriptional level remain to be identified. It is anticipated that an improved understanding of sRNA biology will shed new light on the virulence of Salmonella.