scholarly journals Proteins Needed to Activate a Transcriptional Response to the Reactive Oxygen Species Singlet Oxygen

mBio ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tae-Wook Nam ◽  
Eva C. Ziegelhoffer ◽  
Rachelle A. S. Lemke ◽  
Timothy J. Donohue

ABSTRACT Singlet oxygen (1O2) is a reactive oxygen species generated by energy transfer from one or more excited donors to molecular oxygen. Many biomolecules are prone to oxidation by 1O2, and cells have evolved systems to protect themselves from damage caused by this compound. One way that the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides protects itself from 1O2 is by inducing a transcriptional response controlled by ChrR, an anti-σ factor which releases an alternative sigma factor, σE, in the presence of 1O2. Here we report that induction of σE-dependent gene transcription is decreased in the presence of 1O2 when two conserved genes in the σE regulon are deleted, including one encoding a cyclopropane fatty acid synthase homologue (RSP2144) or one encoding a protein of unknown function (RSP1091). Thus, we conclude that RSP2144 and RSP1091 are each necessary to increase σE activity in the presence of 1O2. In addition, we found that unlike in wild-type cells, where ChrR is rapidly degraded when 1O2 is generated, turnover of this anti-σ factor is slowed when cells lacking RSP2144, RSP1091, or both of these proteins are exposed to 1O2. Further, we demonstrate that the organic hydroperoxide tert-butyl hydroperoxide promotes ChrR turnover in both wild-type cells and mutants lacking RSP2144 or RSP1091, suggesting differences in the ways different types of oxidants increase σE activity. IMPORTANCE Oxygen serves many crucial functions on Earth; it is produced during photosynthesis and needed for other pathways. While oxygen is relatively inert, it can be converted to reactive oxygen species (ROS) that destroy biomolecules, cause disease, or kill cells. When energy is transferred to oxygen, the ROS singlet oxygen is generated. To understand how singlet oxygen impacts cells, we study the stress response to this ROS in Rhodobacter sphaeroides, a bacterium that, like plants, generates this compound as a consequence of photosynthesis. This paper identifies proteins that activate a stress response to singlet oxygen and shows that they act in a specific response to this ROS. The identified proteins are found in many free-living, symbiotic, or pathogenic bacteria that can encounter singlet oxygen in nature. Thus, our findings provide new information about a stress response to a ROS of broad biological, agricultural, and biomedical importance.

2015 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 1577-1585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia-Yu Zhou ◽  
Jie Yuan ◽  
Xia Li ◽  
Yi-Fan Ning ◽  
Chuan-Chao Dai

ABSTRACTOxygenous terpenoids are active components of many medicinal plants. However, current studies that have focused on enzymatic oxidation reactions cannot comprehensively clarify the mechanisms of oxygenous terpenoid synthesis and diversity. This study shows that an endophytic bacterium can trigger the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that directly increase oxygenous sesquiterpenoid content and diversity inAtractylodes lancea.A. lanceais a famous but endangered Chinese medicinal plant that contains abundant oxygenous sesquiterpenoids. Geo-authenticA. lanceaproduces a wider range and a greater abundance of oxygenous sesquiterpenoids than the cultivated herb. Our previous studies have shown the mechanisms behind endophytic promotion of the production of sesquiterpenoid hydrocarbon scaffolds; however, how endophytes promote the formation of oxygenous sesquiterpenoids and their diversity is unclear. After colonization byPseudomonas fluorescensALEB7B, oxidative burst and oxygenous sesquiterpenoid accumulation inA. lanceaoccur synchronously. Treatment with exogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or singlet oxygen induces oxidative burst and promotes oxygenous sesquiterpenoid accumulationin planta. Conversely, pretreatment of plantlets with the ROS scavenger ascorbic acid significantly inhibits the oxidative burst and oxygenous sesquiterpenoid accumulation induced byP. fluorescensALEB7B. Furtherin vitrooxidation experiments show that several oxygenous sesquiterpenoids can be obtained from direct oxidation caused by H2O2or singlet oxygen. In summary, this study demonstrates that endophytic bacterium-triggered ROS can directly oxidize oxygen-free sesquiterpenoids and increase the oxygenous sesquiterpenoid content and diversity inA. lancea, providing a novel explanation of the mechanisms of oxygenous terpenoid synthesisin plantaand an essential complementarity to enzymatic oxidation reactions.


2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiyan Li ◽  
Bridget M. Barker ◽  
Nora Grahl ◽  
Srisombat Puttikamonkul ◽  
Jeremey D. Bell ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTAspergillus fumigatusis the predominant mold pathogen in immunocompromised patients. In this study, we present the first characterization of the small GTPase RacA inA. fumigatus. To gain insight into the function ofracAin the growth and pathogenesis ofA. fumigatus, we constructed a strain that lacks a functionalracAgene. The ΔracAstrain showed significant morphological defects, including a reduced growth rate and abnormal conidiogenesis on glucose minimal medium. In the ΔracAstrain, apical dominance in the leading hyphae is lost and, instead, multiple axes of polarity emerge. Intriguingly, superoxide production at the hyphal tips was reduced by 25% in the ΔracAstrain. Treatment of wild-type hyphae with diphenylene iodonium, an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase, resulted in phenotypes similar to that of the ΔracAstrain. These data suggest that ΔracAstrain phenotypes may be due to a reduction or alteration in the production of reactive oxygen species. Most surprisingly, despite these developmental and growth abnormalities, the ΔracAstrain retained at least wild-type virulence in both an insect model and two immunologically distinct murine models of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. These results demonstrate thatin vitrogrowth phenotypes do not always correlate within vivovirulence and raise intriguing questions about the role of RacA inAspergillusvirulence.


2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (13) ◽  
pp. 4017-4027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth O'Donoghue ◽  
Kerrie NicAogáin ◽  
Claire Bennett ◽  
Alan Conneely ◽  
Teresa Tiensuu ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTListeria monocytogenessenses blue light via the flavin mononucleotide-containing sensory protein Lmo0799, leading to activation of the general stress response sigma factor SigB (σB). In this study, we investigated the physiological response of this foodborne pathogen to blue light. We show that blue light (460 to 470 nm) doses of 1.5 to 2 mW cm−2cause inhibition of growth on agar-based and liquid culture media. The inhibitory effects are dependent on cell density, with reduced effects evident when high cell numbers are present. The addition of 20 mM dimethylthiourea, a scavenger of reactive oxygen species, or catalase to the medium reverses the inhibitory effects of blue light, suggesting that growth inhibition is mediated by the formation of reactive oxygen species. A mutant strain lacking σB(ΔsigB) was found to be less inhibited by blue light than the wild type, likely indicating the energetic cost of deploying the general stress response. When a lethal dose of light (8 mW cm−2) was applied to cells, the ΔsigBmutant displayed a marked increase in sensitivity to light compared to the wild type. To investigate the role of the blue-light sensor Lmo0799, mutants were constructed that either had a deletion of the gene (Δlmo0799) or alteration in a conserved cysteine residue at position 56, which is predicted to play a pivotal role in the photocycle of the protein (lmo0799C56A). Both mutants displayed phenotypes similar to the ΔsigBmutant in the presence of blue light, providing genetic evidence that residue 56 is critical for light sensing inL. monocytogenes. Taken together, these results demonstrate thatL. monocytogenesis inhibited by blue light in a manner that depends on reactive oxygen species, and they demonstrate clear light-dependent phenotypes associated with σBand the blue-light sensor Lmo0799.IMPORTANCEListeria monocytogenesis a bacterial foodborne pathogen that can cause life-threatening infections in humans. It is known to be able to sense and respond to visible light. In this study, we examine the effects of blue light on the growth and survival of this pathogen. We show that growth can be inhibited at comparatively low doses of blue light, and that at higher doses,L. monocytogenescells are killed. We present evidence suggesting that blue light inhibits this organism by causing the production of reactive oxygen species, such as hydrogen peroxide. We help clarify the mechanism of light sensing by constructing a “blind” version of the blue-light sensor protein. Finally, we show that activation of the general stress response by light has a negative effect on growth, probably because cellular resources are diverted into protective mechanisms rather than growth.


2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (9) ◽  
pp. 3009-3016 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Montero-Barrientos ◽  
R. Hermosa ◽  
R. E. Cardoza ◽  
S. Gutiérrez ◽  
E. Monte

ABSTRACTThe synthesis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is one of the first events following pathogenic interactions in eukaryotic cells, and NADPH oxidases are involved in the formation of such ROS. Thenox1gene ofTrichoderma harzianumwas cloned, and its role in antagonism against phytopathogens was analyzed innox1-overexpressed transformants. The increased levels ofnox1expression in these transformants were accompanied by an increase in ROS production during their direct confrontation withPythium ultimum. The transformants displayed an increased hydrolytic pattern, as determined by comparing protease, cellulase, and chitinase activities with those for the wild type. In confrontation assays againstP. ultimumthenox1-overexpressed transformants were more effective than the wild type, but not in assays againstBotrytis cinereaorRhizoctonia solani. A transcriptomic analysis using aTrichodermahigh-density oligonucleotide (HDO) microarray also showed that, compared to gene expression for the interaction of wild-typeT. harzianumandP. ultimum, genes related to protease, cellulase, and chitinase activities were differentially upregulated in the interaction of anox1-overexpressed transformant with this pathogen. Our results show thatnox1is involved inT. harzianumROS production and antagonism againstP. ultimum.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biz R. Turnell ◽  
Luisa Kumpitsch ◽  
Klaus Reinhardt

AbstractSperm aging is accelerated by the buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which cause oxidative damage to various cellular components. Aging can be slowed by limiting the production of mitochondrial ROS and by increasing the production of antioxidants, both of which can be generated in the sperm cell itself or in the surrounding somatic tissues of the male and female reproductive tracts. However, few studies have compared the separate contributions of ROS production and ROS scavenging to sperm aging, or to cellular aging in general. We measured reproductive fitness in two lines of Drosophila melanogaster genetically engineered to (1) produce fewer ROS via expression of alternative oxidase (AOX), an alternative respiratory pathway; or (2) scavenge fewer ROS due to a loss-of-function mutation in the antioxidant gene dj-1β. Wild-type females mated to AOX males had increased fecundity and longer fertility durations, consistent with slower aging in AOX sperm. Contrary to expectations, fitness was not reduced in wild-type females mated to dj-1β males. Fecundity and fertility duration were increased in AOX and decreased in dj-1β females, indicating that female ROS levels may affect aging rates in stored sperm and/or eggs. Finally, we found evidence that accelerated aging in dj-1β sperm may have selected for more frequent mating. Our results help to clarify the relative roles of ROS production and ROS scavenging in the male and female reproductive systems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Biz R. Turnell ◽  
Luisa Kumpitsch ◽  
Anne-Cécile Ribou ◽  
Klaus Reinhardt

Abstract Objective Sperm ageing has major evolutionary implications but has received comparatively little attention. Ageing in sperm and other cells is driven largely by oxidative damage from reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by the mitochondria. Rates of organismal ageing differ across species and are theorized to be linked to somatic ROS levels. However, it is unknown whether sperm ageing rates are correlated with organismal ageing rates. Here, we investigate this question by comparing sperm ROS production in four lines of Drosophila melanogaster that have previously been shown to differ in somatic mitochondrial ROS production, including two commonly used wild-type lines and two lines with genetic modifications standardly used in ageing research. Results Somatic ROS production was previously shown to be lower in wild-type Oregon-R than in wild-type Dahomey flies; decreased by the expression of alternative oxidase (AOX), a protein that shortens the electron transport chain; and increased by a loss-of-function mutation in dj-1β, a gene involved in ROS scavenging. Contrary to predictions, we found no differences among these four lines in the rate of sperm ROS production. We discuss the implications of our results, the limitations of our study, and possible directions for future research.


2016 ◽  
Vol 171 (3) ◽  
pp. 1551-1559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaobai Huang ◽  
Olivier Van Aken ◽  
Markus Schwarzländer ◽  
Katharina Belt ◽  
A. Harvey Millar

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 117739010700200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Zoltan ◽  
Franklin Vargas ◽  
Carla Izzo

We have determined and quantified spectrophotometrically the capacity of producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) as 1O2 during the photolysis with UV-A light of 5 new synthesized naphthyl ester derivates of well-known quinolone antibacterials (nalidixic acid (1), cinoxacin (2), norfloxacin (3), ciprofloxacin (4) and enoxacin (5)). The ability of the naphthyl ester derivatives (6-10) to generate singlet oxygen were detecting and for the first time quantified by the histidine assay, a sensitive, fast and inexpensive method. The following tendency of generation of singlet oxygen was observed: compounds 7 >10 > 6 > 8 > 9 >> parent drugs 1-5.


2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew De Furio ◽  
Sang Joon Ahn ◽  
Robert A. Burne ◽  
Stephen J. Hagen

ABSTRACTThe dental caries pathogenStreptococcus mutansis continually exposed to several types of stress in the oral biofilm environment. Oxidative stress generated by reactive oxygen species has a major impact on the establishment, persistence, and virulence ofS. mutans. Here, we combined fluorescent reporter-promoter fusions with single-cell imaging to study the effects of reactive oxygen species on activation of genetic competence inS. mutans. Exposure to paraquat, which generates superoxide anion, produced a qualitatively different effect on activation of expression of the gene for the master competence regulator, ComX, than did treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which can yield hydroxyl radical. Paraquat suppressed peptide-mediated induction ofcomXin a progressive and cumulative fashion, whereas the response to H2O2displayed a strong threshold behavior. Low concentrations of H2O2had little effect on induction ofcomXor the bacteriocin genecipB, but expression of these genes declined sharply if extracellular H2O2exceeded a threshold concentration. These effects were not due to decreased reporter gene fluorescence. Two different threshold concentrations were observed in the response to H2O2, depending on the gene promoter that was analyzed and the pathway by which the competence regulon was stimulated. The results show that paraquat and H2O2affect theS. mutanscompetence signaling pathway differently, and that some portions of the competence signaling pathway are more sensitive to oxidative stress than others.IMPORTANCEStreptococcus mutansinhabits the oral biofilm, where it plays an important role in the development of dental caries. Environmental stresses such as oxidative stress influence the growth ofS. mutansand its important virulence-associated behaviors, such as genetic competence.S. mutanscompetence development is a complex behavior that involves two different signaling peptides and can exhibit cell-to-cell heterogeneity. Although oxidative stress is known to influenceS. mutanscompetence, it is not understood how oxidative stress interacts with the peptide signaling or affects heterogeneity. In this study, we used fluorescent reporters to probe the effect of reactive oxygen species on competence signaling at the single-cell level. Our data show that different reactive oxygen species have different effects onS. mutanscompetence, and that some portions of the signaling pathway are more acutely sensitive to oxidative stress than others.


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