title: Impact of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase on virulence factor production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
abstract: Pseudomonas aeruginosa establishes life-long chronic infections in the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung by utilizing various adaptation strategies. Some of these strategies include altering metabolic pathways to utilize readily available nutrients present in the host environment. The airway sputum contains various host-derived nutrients that can be utilized by P. aeruginosa, including phosphatidylcholine, a major component of lung surfactant. Pseudomonas aeruginosa can degrade phosphatidylcholine to glycerol and fatty acids to increase the availability of usable carbon sources in the CF lung. In this study, we show that some CF-adapted P. aeruginosa isolates utilize glycerol more efficiently as a carbon source than nonadapted isolates. Furthermore, a mutation in a gene required for glycerol utilization impacts the production of several virulence factors in both acute and chronic isolates of P. aeruginosa. Taken together, the results suggest that interference with this metabolic pathway may have potential therapeutic benefits.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Mercer University, School of Medicine, 1550 College Street, Macon, GA 31207, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scoffield
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Woolnough
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Silo-Suh
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D003470:Culture Media; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D011710:Pyocyanine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D009842:Oligopeptides; D037521:Virulence Factors; C042453:pyoverdin; D011710:Pyocyanine; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase; D005990:Glycerol
keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa; glycerol; glycérol; virulence