title: Novel stationary-phase-upregulated protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis influences production of superoxide dismutase, thiol peroxidase and thioredoxin.
abstract: Porphyromonas gingivalis, an obligately anaerobic bacterium, is implicated as a major pathogen in the development and progression of chronic periodontitis. Although expression of several virulence factors of the bacterium has been found to be affected by environmental stress such as entrance into the stationary growth phase and heat, there is relatively little information on the mechanisms that may operate in the bacterium in response to environmental stress. In this study, a novel protein (UstA) was investigated that was initially identified following two-dimensional gel analysis. Expression of UstA was upregulated in stationary phase or by exposure to atmospheric oxygen. N-terminal sequencing and database analysis with the P. gingivalis genome sequence revealed that the UstA-encoding gene (ustA) was located upstream of a homologue of the usp gene encoding the universal stress protein on the chromosome. The ustA gene appeared to be transcribed in a monocistronic fashion, as revealed by primer extension and Northern blot analysis. To elucidate the role of UstA in the bacterium, chromosomal mutants carrying a disruption of the ustA gene were constructed. The ustA mutant grew slower than the wild-type parent strain in rich medium, resulting in a lower yield in stationary phase. Furthermore, in this mutant, expression levels of the P. gingivalis homologues of superoxide dismutase, thiol peroxidase and thioredoxin were markedly higher than those in the wild-type, especially in stationary phase. The ustA mutant was more resistant to diamide, a thiol-specific oxidant, than the wild-type. In addition, the ustA mutation suppressed hypersensitivities of the oxyR mutant to diamide, metronidazole and mitomycin C. These results suggest that UstA may play a significant role in oxidative stress responses in the bacterium.
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology and Oral Infection, Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology and Oral Infection, Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohara
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology and Oral Infection, Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology and Oral Infection, Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Mamiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology and Oral Infection, Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideharu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yukitake
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology and Oral Infection, Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shoji
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology and Oral Infection, Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology and Oral Infection, Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakayama
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D003470:Culture Media; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000378:metabolism; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013879:Thioredoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D013879:Thioredoxins; D010544:Peroxidases; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase