Transcriptomic analysis of Escherichia coli strains carrying non-E. coli 16S rRNA genes

16S rRNA genes have long been used as a molecular marker for bacterial phylogenetic analysis and thus considered to be species-specific. Despite this general understanding, we have recently found that the growth of E. coli can be complemented by non-E. coli 16S rRNAs. In this study, to gain detail insights into the mechanism of growth complementation in the E. coli mutant strains through transcriptional analysis, particularly focusing on the mutants that harbor 16S rRNA genes from phylogenetically distant bacteria (Acidobacterial lineage). More specifically, analyses were made using the mutant carrying Acidobacterial 16S rRNA genes (clones designated NS5 and NS11) and the NS5 mutants whose growths were partially recovered during subcultivation process.