This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Anjum, M. F. Articles by Moir, J. W. B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Anjum, M. F. Articles by Moir, J. W. B.

Nitric Oxide Metabolism in Neisseria meningitidis

Muna F. Anjum,^1, Tânia M. Stevanin,^1,2* Robert C. Read,² and James W. B. Moir¹

Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN,¹ Division of Genomic Medicine, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield S10 2RX, United Kingdom²

Received 31 January 2002/ Accepted 7 March 2002

Neisseria meningitidis, the causative agent of meningococcal disease in humans, is likely to be exposed to nitrosative stress during natural colonization and disease. The genome of N. meningitidis includes the genes aniA and norB, predicted to encode nitrite reductase and nitric oxide (NO) reductase, respectively. These gene products should allow the bacterium to denitrify nitrite to nitrous oxide. We show that N. meningitidis can support growth microaerobically by the denitrification of nitrite via NO and that norB is required for anaerobic growth with nitrite. NorB and, to a lesser extent, the cycP gene product cytochrome c' are able to counteract toxicity due to exogenously added NO. Expression of these genes by N. meningitidis during colonization and disease may confer protection against exogenous or endogenous nitrosative stress.

Present address: Veterinary Laboratories Agency (Weybridge), Department of Bacterial Diseases, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, United Kingdom.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Heurlier, K., Thomson, M. J., Aziz, N., Moir, J. W. B. (2008). The Nitric Oxide (NO)-Sensing Repressor NsrR of Neisseria meningitidis Has a Compact Regulon of Genes Involved in NO Synthesis and Detoxification. J. Bacteriol. 190: 2488-2495 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wang, W., Reitzer, L., Rasko, D. A., Pearson, M. M., Blick, R. J., Laurence, C., Hansen, E. J. (2007). Metabolic Analysis of Moraxella catarrhalis and the Effect of Selected In Vitro Growth Conditions on Global Gene Expression. Infect. Immun. 75: 4959-4971 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Rock, J. D., Thomson, M. J., Read, R. C., Moir, J. W. B. (2007). Regulation of Denitrification Genes in Neisseria meningitidis by Nitric Oxide and the Repressor NsrR. J. Bacteriol. 189: 1138-1144 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Seib, K. L., Wu, H.-J., Kidd, S. P., Apicella, M. A., Jennings, M. P., McEwan, A. G. (2006). Defenses against Oxidative Stress in Neisseria gonorrhoeae: a System Tailored for a Challenging Environment. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 70: 344-361 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Haine, V., Dozot, M., Dornand, J., Letesson, J.-J., De Bolle, X. (2006). NnrA Is Required for Full Virulence and Regulates Several Brucella melitensis Denitrification Genes. J. Bacteriol. 188: 1615-1619 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Tunbridge, A. J., Stevanin, T. M., Lee, M., Marriott, H. M., Moir, J. W. B., Read, R. C., Dockrell, D. H. (2006). Inhibition of Macrophage Apoptosis by Neisseria meningitidis Requires Nitric Oxide Detoxification Mechanisms. Infect. Immun. 74: 729-733 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Choi, P. S., Grigoryants, V. M., Abruna, H. D., Scholes, C. P., Shapleigh, J. P. (2005). Regulation and Function of Cytochrome c' in Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.3. J. Bacteriol. 187: 4077-4085 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Stevanin, T. M., Moir, J. W. B., Read, R. C. (2005). Nitric Oxide Detoxification Systems Enhance Survival of Neisseria meningitidis in Human Macrophages and in Nasopharyngeal Mucosa. Infect. Immun. 73: 3322-3329 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Busch, A., Pohlmann, A., Friedrich, B., Cramm, R. (2004). A DNA Region Recognized by the Nitric Oxide-Responsive Transcriptional Activator NorR Is Conserved in {beta}- and {gamma}-Proteobacteria. J. Bacteriol. 186: 7980-7987 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Baek, S.-H., Rajashekara, G., Splitter, G. A., Shapleigh, J. P. (2004). Denitrification Genes Regulate Brucella Virulence in Mice. J. Bacteriol. 186: 6025-6031 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Grifantini, R., Sebastian, S., Frigimelica, E., Draghi, M., Bartolini, E., Muzzi, A., Rappuoli, R., Grandi, G., Genco, C. A. (2003). Identification of iron-activated and -repressed Fur-dependent genes by transcriptome analysis of Neisseria meningitidis group B. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100: 9542-9547 [Abstract] [Full Text]