Integrated multi-omics analysis reveals a pH-driven metabolic and translational switch in Ureaplasma parvum

Abstract

ABSTRACT Human ureaplasmas are minimal-genome bacteria and pathobionts of the urogenital tract. They must adapt to fluctuating pH conditions despite the absence of canonical transcriptional regulatory systems. However, the mechanisms underlying these responses remain unclear. This study aimed to construct a system-level model of pH adaptation in this minimal pathogen. We used an integrated multi-omics platform combining proteomics, metabolomics, and RNA modification profiling to construct a system-level model of pH adaptation. The results revealed a bifurcated strategy governed by the differential activation of preexisting, co-regulated functional modules. Under neutral pH conditions (pH 7), Ureaplasma parvum activated energy metabolism and upregulated ATP synthesis while forming a stress-counteracting proteostasis pathway. This may suggest a biological energy state under high stress conditions. Conversely, under acidic stress (pH 5), it activated biosynthesis/translation, showing significant upregulation of ribosomal proteins and accumulation of translation precursors and the polyamine spermidine. This may represent a state of expanded translational capacity. This adaptive switch is accompanied by dynamic reorganization of the epitranscriptome, highlighting the importance of post-transcriptional regulation. This study suggests mechanisms by which minimal organisms achieve adaptive plasticity through sophisticated post-transcriptional and metabolic control, providing a new framework for understanding Ureaplasma physiology and the biology of genome-reduced organisms. IMPORTANCE Minimal bacteria challenge canonical views of cellular regulation. In organisms with radically reduced genomes and sparse transcription factors, how adaptive plasticity is achieved remains a core question. Our study proposes a model in which a simple physicochemical cue—extracellular pH—selects among prewired cellular programs, while post-transcriptional and epitranscriptomic layers fine-tune execution. The findings of this study suggest a multi-omics scheme for how organisms adapt to environmental changes and ensure survival without inducing new circuits or complex transcriptional regulation. Conceptually, it proposes regulation via RNA modifications in processes, such as metabolism, proteostasis, and translation. This framework may be generalizable to other genome-reduced microorganisms. Beyond microbiology, it provides design principles for synthetic biology and offers a mechanistic interpretation of phenotypic tolerance to stress factors. It may encourage the use of pH-linked epitranscriptome signals as measurable indicators of cellular state. Minimal bacteria challenge canonical views of cellular regulation. In organisms with radically reduced genomes and sparse transcription factors, how adaptive plasticity is achieved remains a core question. Our study proposes a model in which a simple physicochemical cue—extracellular pH—selects among prewired cellular programs, while post-transcriptional and epitranscriptomic layers fine-tune execution. The findings of this study suggest a multi-omics scheme for how organisms adapt to environmental changes and ensure survival without inducing new circuits or complex transcriptional regulation. Conceptually, it proposes regulation via RNA modifications in processes, such as metabolism, proteostasis, and translation. This framework may be generalizable to other genome-reduced microorganisms. Beyond microbiology, it provides design principles for synthetic biology and offers a mechanistic interpretation of phenotypic tolerance to stress factors. It may encourage the use of pH-linked epitranscriptome signals as measurable indicators of cellular state.