Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Life Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

The Mycoplasma Genitalium Mg_454 Gene Product Resists Killing By Organic Hydroperoxides, Sankaralingam Saikolappan, Smitha Sasindran, Hongwei Yu, Joel Basema, Subramanian Dhandayuthapani Aug 2012

The Mycoplasma Genitalium Mg_454 Gene Product Resists Killing By Organic Hydroperoxides, Sankaralingam Saikolappan, Smitha Sasindran, Hongwei Yu, Joel Basema, Subramanian Dhandayuthapani

Hongwei Yu

Mycoplasma genitalium is the smallest self-replicating organism and a successful human pathogen associated with a range of genitourinary maladies. As a consequence of its restricted genome size, genes that are highly conserved in other bacteria are absent in M. genitalium. Significantly, genes that encode antioxidants like superoxide dismutase and catalase-peroxidase are lacking. Nevertheless, comparative genomics has revealed that MG_454 of M. genitalium encodes a protein with putative function as an organic hydroperoxide reductase (Ohr). In this study, we found that an M. genitalium transposon mutant that lacks expression of MG_454 was sensitive to killing by t-butyl hydroperoxide and cumene hydroperoxide. …


Lipotoxin F Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Is An Algu-Dependent And Alginate-Independent Outer Membrane Protein Involved In Resistance To Oxidative Stress And Adhesion To A549 Human Lung Epithelia, F. Damron, Jennifer Napper, M. Teter, Hongwei Yu Aug 2012

Lipotoxin F Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Is An Algu-Dependent And Alginate-Independent Outer Membrane Protein Involved In Resistance To Oxidative Stress And Adhesion To A549 Human Lung Epithelia, F. Damron, Jennifer Napper, M. Teter, Hongwei Yu

Hongwei Yu

Chronic lung infection with P. aeruginosa and excessive neutrophil-associated inflammation are major causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Overproduction of an exopolysaccharide known as alginate leads to the formation of mucoid biofilms that are resistant to antibiotics and host defences. Alginate overproduction or mucoidy is controlled by a stress-related ECF sigma factor AlgU/T. Mutation in the anti-sigma factor MucA is a known mechanism for conversion to mucoidy. Recently, we showed that inactivation of a kinase (KinB) in nonmucoid strain PAO1 results in overproduction of alginate. Here, we report the initial characterization of lipotoxin F (LptF, …