Mechanisms of adaptation to nitrosative stress in Bacillus subtilis
Author
Summary, in English
Bacteria use a number of mechanisms for coping with the toxic effects exerted by nitric oxide (NO) and its derivatives. Here we show that the flavohemoglobin encoded by the hmp gene has a vital role in an adaptive response to protect the soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis from nitrosative stress. We further show that nitrosative stress induced by the nitrosonium cation donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) leads to deactivation of the transcriptional repressor NsrR, resulting in derepression of hmp. Nitrosative stress induces the sigma B-controlled general stress regulon. However, a sigB null mutant did not show increased sensitivity to SNP, suggesting that the sigma B-dependent stress proteins are involved in a nonspecific protection against stress whereas the Hmp flavohemoglobin plays a central role in detoxification. Mutations in the yjbIH operon, which encodes a truncated hemoglobin (YjbI) and a predicted 34-kDa cytosolic protein of unknown function (YjbH), rendered B. subtilis hypersensitive to SNP, suggesting roles in nitrosative stress management.
Publishing year
2007
Language
English
Pages
3063-3071
Publication/Series
Journal of Bacteriology
Volume
189
Issue
8
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Topic
- Microbiology
Status
Published
Research group
- Microbiology Group
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0021-9193