Open AccessThe Stringent Response Is Required for Helicobacter pylori Survival of Stationary Phase, Exposure to Acid, and Aerobic Shock
Author(s) -
Kyle Mouery,
Bethany A. Rader,
Erin C. Gaynor,
Karen Guillemin
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.652
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1067-8832
pISSN - 0021-9193
DOI - 10.1128/jb.00366-06
Subject(s) - biology , stringent response , mutant , helicobacter pylori , microbiology and biotechnology , escherichia coli , bacteria , shock (circulatory) , pathogen , gene , biochemistry , genetics , medicine
The gastric pathogenHelicobacter pylori must adapt to fluctuating conditions in the harsh environment of the human stomach with the use of a minimal number of transcriptional regulators. We investigated whetherH. pylori utilizes the stringent response, involving signaling through the alarmone (p)ppGpp, as a survival strategy during environmental stresses. We show that theH. pylori homologue of the bifunctional (p)ppGpp synthetase and hydrolase SpoT is responsible for all cellular (p)ppGpp production in response to starvation conditions. Furthermore, theH. pylori spoT gene complements the growth defect ofEscherichia coli mutants lacking (p)ppGpp. AnH. pylori spoT deletion mutant is impaired for stationary-phase survival and undergoes a premature transformation to a coccoid morphology. In addition, thespoT deletion mutant is unable to survive specific environmental stresses, including aerobic shock and acid exposure, which are likely to be encountered by this bacterium during infection and transmission.