An early response to environmental stress involves regulation of OmpX and OmpF, two enterobacterial outer membrane pore-forming proteins.
Bacterial adaptation to external stresses and toxic compounds is a key step in the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains that are a serious threat to human health. Although some of the proteins and regulators involved in antibiotic resistance mechanisms have been described, no information is available to date concerning the early bacterial response to external stresses. Here we report that the expression of ompX, encoding an outer membrane protein, is increased during early exposure to drugs or environmental stresses. At the same time, the level of ompF porin expression is noticeably affected. Because of the role of these proteins in membrane permeability, these data suggest that OmpF and OmpX are involved in the control of the penetration of antibiotics such as beta-lactams and fluoroquinolones through the enterobacterial outer membrane. Consequently, the early control of ompX and ompF induced by external stresses may represent a preliminary response to antibiotics, thus triggering the initial bacterial line of defense against antibiotherapy.
Dupont
Myrielle
M
UMR-MD1, Faculté de Médecine, 27 Blvd. Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France.
James
Chloë E
CE
Chevalier
Jacqueline
J
Pagès
Jean-Marie
JM
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D004777:Environment; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D019450:Genes, MDR / Q000235:genetics; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018272:Porins / Q000235:genetics*; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C109237:OmpF protein; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D018272:Porins; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; C482905:OmpX protein, E coli; D006867:Hydrolases; D001616:beta-Galactosidase