title: VimA mediates multiple functions that control virulence in Porphyromonas gingivalis.
abstract: Porphyromonas gingivalis, a black-pigmented, gram-negative anaerobe, is an important etiological agent of periodontal disease. Its ability to survive in the periodontal pocket and orchestrate the microbial/host activities that can lead to disease suggest that P. gingivalis possesses a complex regulatory network involving transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. The vimA (virulence modulating) gene is part of the 6.15-kb bcp-recA-vimA-vimE-vimF-aroG locus and plays a role in oxidative stress resistance. In addition to the glycosylation and anchorage of several surface proteins including the gingipains, VimA can also modulate sialylation, acetyl coenzyme A transfer, lipid A and its associated proteins and may be involved in protein sorting and transport. In this review, we examine the multifunctional role of VimA and discuss its possible involvement in a major regulatory network important for survival and virulence regulation in P. gingivalis. It is postulated that the multifunction of VimA is modulated via a post-translational mechanism involving acetylation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Aruni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Robles
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Fletcher
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000235:genetics; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D000080867:Gingipain Cysteine Endopeptidases; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000235:genetics; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000080867:Gingipain Cysteine Endopeptidases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases