Bacterioferritin protects the anaerobe Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough against oxygen

• Published in: Anaerobe Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 454 - 458
• Main Authors: Figueiredo, Mafalda C.O., Lobo, Susana A.L., Carita, João N., Nobre, Lígia S., Saraiva, Lígia M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2012
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological; Aerobic conditions; Atmosphere; Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Bacterioferritin; Catalysts; Cytochrome b Group - genetics; Cytochrome b Group - metabolism; Data processing; Desulfovibrio; Desulfovibrio vulgaris; Desulfovibrio vulgaris - genetics; Desulfovibrio vulgaris - metabolism; Ferritins - genetics; Ferritins - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; genes; Genes, Bacterial; Iron; Microbial Viability; mutants; niches; Oxidative Stress; oxygen; Oxygen - metabolism; Oxygen stress; Reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Repressor Proteins - genetics; Repressor Proteins - metabolism; storage proteins; stress response; Sulfate; sulfates; Time Factors; Transcription; Transcription, Genetic; transcriptomics; viability; Iron; Oxygen stress; Bacterioferritin; Desulfovibrio
• ISSN: 1075-9964; 1095-8274
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2012.06.001

Intracellular free iron, is under aerobic conditions and via the Fenton reaction a catalyst for the formation of harmful reactive oxygen species. In this article, we analyzed the relation between intracellular iron storage and oxidative stress response in the sulfate reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough, an anaerobe that is often found in oxygenated niches. To this end, we investigated the role of the iron storage protein bacterioferritin using transcriptomic and physiological approaches. We observed that transcription of bacterioferritin is strongly induced upon exposure of cells to an oxygenated atmosphere. When grown in the presence of high concentrations of oxygen the D. vulgaris bacterioferritin mutant exhibited, in comparison with the wild type strain, lower viability and a higher content of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, the bacterioferritin gene is under the control of the oxidative stress response regulator D. vulgaris PerR. Altogether the data revealed a previously unrecognized ability for the iron storage bacterioferritin to contribute to the oxygen tolerance exhibited by D. vulgaris. ► The bacterioferritin gene is induced by oxygen. ► Deletion of bacterioferritin makes Desulfovibrio vulgaris less resistant to oxygen. ► The bacterioferritin mutant has a higher content of reactive oxygen species. ► The transcription of bacterioferritin gene is controlled by PerR.