title: A glutathione-based system for defense against carbonyl stress in Haemophilus influenzae.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  adhC from Haemophilus influenzae encodes a glutathione-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase that has previously been shown to be required for protection against killing by S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO). This group of enzymes is known in other systems to be able to utilize substrates that form adducts with glutathione, such as aldehydes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here, we show that expression of adhC is maximally induced under conditions of high oxygen tension as well as specifically with glucose as a carbon source. adhC could also be induced in response to formaldehyde but not GSNO. An adhC mutant was more susceptible than wild-type Haemophilus influenzae Rd KW20 to killing by various short chain aliphatic aldehydes, all of which can be generated endogenously during cell metabolism but are also produced by the host as part of the innate immune response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that AdhC plays a role in defense against endogenously generated reactive carbonyl electrophiles in Haemophilus influenzae and may also play a role in defense against the host innate immune system.
authors: Research Centre for Infectious Disease, School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, The University of Adelaide, North Terrace Campus, Adelaide 5005, Australia. stephen.kidd@adelaide.edu.au
authors: Stephen P
authors: SP
authors: Kidd
authors: Donald
authors: D
authors: Jiang
authors: Alexandra
authors: A
authors: Tikhomirova
authors: Michael P
authors: MP
authors: Jennings
authors: Alastair G
authors: AG
authors: McEwan
mesh_terms: D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D002244:Carbon; C020145:formaldehyde dehydrogenase (glutathione); D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases; D005978:Glutathione; D005947:Glucose