Abstract
Vibrio vulnificus, a ubiquitous estuarine bacterium, is divided into two groups based on the virulence potential. Group 1 is a causative agent of human fatal septicemia, which is characterized by edematous and hemorrhagic secondary skin lesions on the limbs. This human pathogen secretes a toxic metalloprotease as an important virulence determinant. The protease can evoke the skin damage through enhancement of the vascular permeability and destruction of the capillaries. Group 2 is an etiological agent of epizooticus in the cultured eels. Significant levels of metalloprotease as well as autoinducer, a well-known signal molecule of cell-density dependent regulatory system for production of virulence determinants, were found to be secreted by both the groups at early stationary phase but not middle logarithmic phase when the bacteria were cultivated at 25°C. Expression of the protease gene also was found to be increased several times at the stationary phase. Therefore, the autoinducer molecules that had accumulated might have accelerated the expression of the protease gene. In contrast, when cultivated at 37°C, far less amounts of the protease and autoinducer were produced even at the stationary phase. Most patients suffering from V. vulnificus septicemia have underlying diseases causing elevation of the serum iron level. When incubated in human serum supplemented with ferric chloride at 37°C, only Group 1 V. vulnificus showed steady bacterial multiplication and protease production but secretion of significant level of autoinducer could not be detected. Hence, the protease production by Group 1 V. vulnificus in human serum containing ferric ion is also dependent on the bacterial growth; however, protease production in this condition does not require the accumulation of the autoinducer.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 19-30 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Toxin Reviews |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2006 |
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Keywords
- Factor XII
- Iron
- Metalloprotease
- Thermolysin
- Vascular permeability
- Vibrio vulnificus
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
- Toxicology
Cite this
Growth phase-dependent production of a toxic metalloprotease by Vibrio vulnificus. / Miyoshi, Shin-ichi; Sultan, Syed Zafar; Yasuno, Yumi; Shinoda, Sumio.
In: Toxin Reviews, Vol. 25, No. 1, 04.2006, p. 19-30.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Growth phase-dependent production of a toxic metalloprotease by Vibrio vulnificus
AU - Miyoshi, Shin-ichi
AU - Sultan, Syed Zafar
AU - Yasuno, Yumi
AU - Shinoda, Sumio
PY - 2006/4
Y1 - 2006/4
N2 - Vibrio vulnificus, a ubiquitous estuarine bacterium, is divided into two groups based on the virulence potential. Group 1 is a causative agent of human fatal septicemia, which is characterized by edematous and hemorrhagic secondary skin lesions on the limbs. This human pathogen secretes a toxic metalloprotease as an important virulence determinant. The protease can evoke the skin damage through enhancement of the vascular permeability and destruction of the capillaries. Group 2 is an etiological agent of epizooticus in the cultured eels. Significant levels of metalloprotease as well as autoinducer, a well-known signal molecule of cell-density dependent regulatory system for production of virulence determinants, were found to be secreted by both the groups at early stationary phase but not middle logarithmic phase when the bacteria were cultivated at 25°C. Expression of the protease gene also was found to be increased several times at the stationary phase. Therefore, the autoinducer molecules that had accumulated might have accelerated the expression of the protease gene. In contrast, when cultivated at 37°C, far less amounts of the protease and autoinducer were produced even at the stationary phase. Most patients suffering from V. vulnificus septicemia have underlying diseases causing elevation of the serum iron level. When incubated in human serum supplemented with ferric chloride at 37°C, only Group 1 V. vulnificus showed steady bacterial multiplication and protease production but secretion of significant level of autoinducer could not be detected. Hence, the protease production by Group 1 V. vulnificus in human serum containing ferric ion is also dependent on the bacterial growth; however, protease production in this condition does not require the accumulation of the autoinducer.
AB - Vibrio vulnificus, a ubiquitous estuarine bacterium, is divided into two groups based on the virulence potential. Group 1 is a causative agent of human fatal septicemia, which is characterized by edematous and hemorrhagic secondary skin lesions on the limbs. This human pathogen secretes a toxic metalloprotease as an important virulence determinant. The protease can evoke the skin damage through enhancement of the vascular permeability and destruction of the capillaries. Group 2 is an etiological agent of epizooticus in the cultured eels. Significant levels of metalloprotease as well as autoinducer, a well-known signal molecule of cell-density dependent regulatory system for production of virulence determinants, were found to be secreted by both the groups at early stationary phase but not middle logarithmic phase when the bacteria were cultivated at 25°C. Expression of the protease gene also was found to be increased several times at the stationary phase. Therefore, the autoinducer molecules that had accumulated might have accelerated the expression of the protease gene. In contrast, when cultivated at 37°C, far less amounts of the protease and autoinducer were produced even at the stationary phase. Most patients suffering from V. vulnificus septicemia have underlying diseases causing elevation of the serum iron level. When incubated in human serum supplemented with ferric chloride at 37°C, only Group 1 V. vulnificus showed steady bacterial multiplication and protease production but secretion of significant level of autoinducer could not be detected. Hence, the protease production by Group 1 V. vulnificus in human serum containing ferric ion is also dependent on the bacterial growth; however, protease production in this condition does not require the accumulation of the autoinducer.
KW - Factor XII
KW - Iron
KW - Metalloprotease
KW - Thermolysin
KW - Vascular permeability
KW - Vibrio vulnificus
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=32844465044&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=32844465044&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/15569540500320862
DO - 10.1080/15569540500320862
M3 - Article
VL - 25
SP - 19
EP - 30
JO - Toxin Reviews
JF - Toxin Reviews
SN - 1556-9543
IS - 1
ER -