title: Identification of photolabile outer membrane proteins of Porphyromonas gingivalis.
abstract: As the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria increases, novel ways of treating infections need to be developed. This is particularly pertinent with respect to the periodontal diseases--the most common chronic bacterial infections of man. The use of a photosensitizer in combination with red light has been demonstrated to be effective in killing several human pathogens, including the oral bacterium, Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major pathogen in periodontitis. Killing was associated with alterations in the molecular masses of several outer membrane and plasma membrane proteins and these may be therapeutic targets for photodynamic therapy and other antimicrobial approaches. To identify these photolabile proteins, we have used a panel of monoclonal antibodies raised to whole P. gingivalis. A number of the antibodies recognized various photolabile proteins. Using a combination of Western blotting and protein sequencing the predominant photolabile proteins in P. gingivalis have been identified as the major secreted/cell surface proteases--Lys and Arg gingipain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Eastman Dental Institute for Oral Health Care Sciences, University College London, 256 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8LD, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhatti
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Macrobert
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cridland
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D000080867:Gingipain Cysteine Endopeptidases; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D008027:Light; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D000080867:Gingipain Cysteine Endopeptidases; D006388:Hemagglutinins; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases