title: The response to oxidative stress of Fusobacterium nucleatum grown in continuous culture.
abstract: Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC 10953 was grown in continuous culture and the atmosphere changed stepwise from nitrogen (anaerobiosis) to a mixture of air: oxygen (40:60). No significant differences in biomass were observed and the baseline low level of superoxide dismutase increased only slightly; catalase and peroxidase activities were never detected but the level of NADH oxidase increased more than three-fold when oxygen was introduced into the system. In relation to acidic end-products, the relative proportion of acetate increased while that of butyrate decreased. Due mainly, it would seem, to NADH oxidase activity, the culture maintained a low redox potential (E(h)=-274 mV) even under an atmosphere of 40% oxygen in air and dissolved oxygen was not detected. This may, in part, explain the protective role of F. nucleatum for anaerobes in both biofilm and planktonic phases of aerated, mixed cultures of oral bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Laboratory, Dental School, The University of Adelaide, North Terrace, 5005, Adelaide, S.A., Australia.
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Zilm
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000032:analysis; D000332:Aerobiosis; D002087:Butyrates / Q000032:analysis; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D016967:Fusobacterium nucleatum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000378:metabolism; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D002087:Butyrates; D003470:Culture Media; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D002374:Catalase; D009195:Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C023107:NADH oxidase; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen