title: Induction of the soxRS regulon of Escherichia coli by glycolaldehyde.
abstract: The ability of short-chain sugars to cause oxidative stress has been examined using glycolaldehyde as the simplest sugar. Short-chain sugars autoxidize in air, producing superoxide and alpha,beta-dicarbonyls. In Escherichia coli the soxRS regulon mediates an oxidative stress response, which protects the cell against both superoxide-generating agents and nitric oxide. In superoxide dismutase-deficient E. coli mutants, glycolaldehyde induces fumarase C and nitroreductase A, which are regulated as members of the soxRS regulon. A mutational defect in soxRS eliminates that induction. This establishes that glycolaldehyde can cause induction of this defensive regulon. This effect of glycolaldehyde was oxygen-dependent, was not shown by glyoxal, and was not seen in the superoxide dismutase-replete parental strain, and it was abolished by a cell-permeable SOD mimetic. All of these suggest that superoxide radicals produced by the oxidation of glycolaldehyde played a key role in the induction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Safat, Kuwait. lbenov@hsc.kuniv.edu.kw
authors.forename: Ludmil
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benov
authors.forename: Irwin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fridovich
mesh_terms: D000079:Acetaldehyde / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D005649:Fumarate Hydratase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006037:Glyoxal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D009154:Mutation; D009601:Nitroreductases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D018085:Regulon / Q000187:drug effects*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C070724:SoxR protein, Bacteria; C070725:SoxS protein, E coli; D006037:Glyoxal; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C116053:NfsA protein, E coli; D009601:Nitroreductases; C095842:fumarase C; D005649:Fumarate Hydratase; D000079:Acetaldehyde; D010100:Oxygen; C010972:glycolaldehyde