Response of Desulfovibrio vulgaris to alkaline stress

J Bacteriol. 2007 Dec;189(24):8944-52. doi: 10.1128/JB.00284-07. Epub 2007 Oct 5.

Abstract

The response of exponentially growing Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough to pH 10 stress was studied using oligonucleotide microarrays and a study set of mutants with genes suggested by microarray data to be involved in the alkaline stress response deleted. The data showed that the response of D. vulgaris to increased pH is generally similar to that of Escherichia coli but is apparently controlled by unique regulatory circuits since the alternative sigma factors (sigma S and sigma E) contributing to this stress response in E. coli appear to be absent in D. vulgaris. Genes previously reported to be up-regulated in E. coli were up-regulated in D. vulgaris; these genes included three ATPase genes and a tryptophan synthase gene. Transcription of chaperone and protease genes (encoding ATP-dependent Clp and La proteases and DnaK) was also elevated in D. vulgaris. As in E. coli, genes involved in flagellum synthesis were down-regulated. The transcriptional data also identified regulators, distinct from sigma S and sigma E, that are likely part of a D. vulgaris Hildenborough-specific stress response system. Characterization of a study set of mutants with genes implicated in alkaline stress response deleted confirmed that there was protective involvement of the sodium/proton antiporter NhaC-2, tryptophanase A, and two putative regulators/histidine kinases (DVU0331 and DVU2580).

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / biosynthesis
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / genetics
  • Alkalies / pharmacology*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Desulfovibrio vulgaris / drug effects
  • Desulfovibrio vulgaris / genetics
  • Desulfovibrio vulgaris / physiology*
  • Flagella / genetics
  • Gene Deletion
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Genes, Regulator
  • Histidine Kinase
  • Molecular Chaperones / biosynthesis
  • Molecular Chaperones / genetics
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Peptide Hydrolases / biosynthesis
  • Peptide Hydrolases / genetics
  • Protein Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Kinases / physiology
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / genetics
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / physiology
  • Tryptophan Synthase / biosynthesis
  • Tryptophan Synthase / genetics
  • Tryptophanase / genetics
  • Tryptophanase / physiology

Substances

  • Alkalies
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Molecular Chaperones
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers
  • Protein Kinases
  • Histidine Kinase
  • Peptide Hydrolases
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases
  • Tryptophanase
  • Tryptophan Synthase

Associated data

  • GEO/GSE8197