Molecular mechanisms for metabolisms of bacterial reactive sulfur species: implication in antibacterial resistance

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H03115
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biomolecular chemistry
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Sawa Tomohiro 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部(医), 教授 (30284756)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 赤池 孝章 東北大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (20231798) ; 居原 秀 大阪府立大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (60254447)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 生体機能物質 / 活性イオウ分子 / 酸化ストレス / 抗生物質 / 薬剤耐性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Antixoxidative machineries that eliminate reactive oxygen species are of great benefit to bacteria to grow aerobically and to escape from oxygen-dependent bacterial killing by macrophages. Cysteine persulfide and glutathione persulfide are present abundantly in mammalian cells and act as potent antioxidants. Here we investigated the occurrence of persulfide in Gram-negative bacteria. Roles of persulfide species on bacterial resistance against oxidative stress was studied. Cysteine persulfide and glutathione persulfide/trisulfide were detected in all bacteria studied. Treatment of Salmonella Typhimurium with persulfide donors significantly increased intracellular persulfide levels. More importantly, persulfide boosted bacteria became highly resistant against oxidative stress-mediated bacterial killing induced by hydrogen peroxide challenging and by macrophages. These data suggest the importance of reactive persulfides in bacterial resistance against oxidative stress.

Free Research Field

細菌学