This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Casillas-Martinez, L.
Right arrow Articles by Setlow, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Casillas-Martinez, L.
Right arrow Articles by Setlow, P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J. Bacteriol., Dec 1997, 7420-7425, Vol 179, No. 23
Copyright © 1997, American Society for Microbiology

Alkyl hydroperoxide reductase, catalase, MrgA, and superoxide dismutase are not involved in resistance of Bacillus subtilis spores to heat or oxidizing agents

L Casillas-Martinez and P Setlow
Department of Biochemistry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington 06032, USA.

Only a single superoxide dismutase (SodA) was detected in Bacillus subtilis, and growing cells of a sodA mutant exhibited paraquat sensitivity as well as a growth defect and reduced survival at an elevated temperature. However, the sodA mutation had no effect on the heat or hydrogen peroxide resistance of wild-type spores or spores lacking the two major DNA protective alpha/beta-type small, acid- soluble, spore proteins (termed alpha(-)beta(-) spores). Spores also had only a single catalase (KatX), as the two catalases found in growing cells (KatA and KatB) were absent. While a katA mutation greatly decreased the hydrogen peroxide resistance of growing cells, as found previously, katA, katB, and katX mutations had no effect on the heat or hydrogen peroxide resistance of wild-type or alpha(-)beta(-) spores. Inactivation of the mrgA gene, which codes for a DNA-binding protein that can protect growing cells against hydrogen peroxide, also had no effect on spore hydrogen peroxide resistance. Inactivation of genes coding for alkyl hydroperoxide reductase, which has been shown to decrease growing cell resistance to alkyl hydroperoxides, had no effect on spore resistance to such compounds or on spore resistance to heat and hydrogen peroxide. However, Western blot analysis showed that at least one alkyl hydroperoxide reductase subunit was present in spores. Together these results indicate that proteins that play a role in the resistance of growing cells to oxidizing agents play no role in spore resistance. A likely reason for this lack of a protective role for spore enzymes is the inactivity of enzymes within the dormant spore.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Passalacqua, K. D., Bergman, N. H., Herring-Palmer, A., Hanna, P. (2006). The Superoxide Dismutases of Bacillus anthracis Do Not Cooperatively Protect against Endogenous Superoxide Stress. J. Bacteriol. 188: 3837-3848 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Castellanos-Juarez, F. X., Alvarez-Alvarez, C., Yasbin, R. E., Setlow, B., Setlow, P., Pedraza-Reyes, M. (2006). YtkD and MutT Protect Vegetative Cells but Not Spores of Bacillus subtilis from Oxidative Stress. J. Bacteriol. 188: 2285-2289 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Klobutcher, L. A., Ragkousi, K., Setlow, P. (2006). The Bacillus subtilis spore coat provides "eat resistance" during phagocytic predation by the protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103: 165-170 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Salas-Pacheco, J. M., Setlow, B., Setlow, P., Pedraza-Reyes, M. (2005). Role of the Nfo (YqfS) and ExoA Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonucleases in Protecting Bacillus subtilis Spores from DNA Damage. J. Bacteriol. 187: 7374-7381 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Cao, M., Moore, C. M., Helmann, J. D. (2005). Bacillus subtilis Paraquat Resistance Is Directed by {sigma}M, an Extracytoplasmic Function Sigma Factor, and Is Conferred by YqjL and BcrC. J. Bacteriol. 187: 2948-2956 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hoper, D., Volker, U., Hecker, M. (2005). Comprehensive Characterization of the Contribution of Individual SigB-Dependent General Stress Genes to Stress Resistance of Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 187: 2810-2826 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ragkousi, K., Setlow, P. (2004). Transglutaminase-Mediated Cross-Linking of GerQ in the Coats of Bacillus subtilis Spores. J. Bacteriol. 186: 5567-5575 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ramirez, M. I., Castellanos-Juarez, F. X., Yasbin, R. E., Pedraza-Reyes, M. (2004). The ytkD (mutTA) Gene of Bacillus subtilis Encodes a Functional Antimutator 8-Oxo-(dGTP/GTP)ase and Is under Dual Control of Sigma A and Sigma F RNA Polymerases. J. Bacteriol. 186: 1050-1059 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Frankenberg, L., Brugna, M., Hederstedt, L. (2002). Enterococcus faecalis Heme-Dependent Catalase. J. Bacteriol. 184: 6351-6356 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fuangthong, M., Helmann, J. D. (2002). The OhrR repressor senses organic hydroperoxides by reversible formation of a cysteine-sulfenic acid derivative. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99: 6690-6695 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Genest, P. C., Setlow, B., Melly, E., Setlow, P. (2002). Killing of spores of Bacillus subtilis by peroxynitrite appears to be caused by membrane damage. Microbiology 148: 307-314 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Nicholson, W. L., Munakata, N., Horneck, G., Melosh, H. J., Setlow, P. (2000). Resistance of Bacillus Endospores to Extreme Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Environments. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 64: 548-572 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Riesenman, P. J., Nicholson, W. L. (2000). Role of the Spore Coat Layers in Bacillus subtilis Spore Resistance to Hydrogen Peroxide, Artificial UV-C, UV-B, and Solar UV Radiation. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66: 620-626 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Inaoka, T., Matsumura, Y., Tsuchido, T. (1999). SodA and Manganese Are Essential for Resistance to Oxidative Stress in Growing and Sporulating Cells of Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 181: 1939-1943 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Driks, A. (1999). Bacillus subtilis Spore Coat. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 63: 1-20 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Setlow, B., Setlow, P. (1998). Heat Killing of Bacillus subtilis Spores in Water Is Not Due to Oxidative Damage. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64: 4109-4112 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Inaoka, T., Matsumura, Y., Tsuchido, T. (1998). Molecular Cloning and Nucleotide Sequence of the Superoxide Dismutase Gene and Characterization of Its Product from Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 180: 3697-3703 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Henriques, A. O., Melsen, L. R., Moran, C. P. Jr. (1998). Involvement of Superoxide Dismutase in Spore Coat Assembly in Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 180: 2285-2291 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bagyan, I., Casillas-Martinez, L., Setlow, P. (1998). The katX Gene, Which Codes for the Catalase in Spores of Bacillus subtilis, Is a Forespore-Specific Gene Controlled by sigma F, and KatX Is Essential for Hydrogen Peroxide Resistance of the Germinating Spore. J. Bacteriol. 180: 2057-2062 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»