Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology

The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (한국미생물·생명공학회)
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The Virulence of Vibrio vulnificus is Affected by the Cellular Level of Superoxide Dismutase Activity

  • Kang, In-Hye (Department of Life Science and Interdisciplinary Program of Integrated Biotechnology, Sogang University) ;
  • Kim, Ju-Sim (Department of Life Science and Interdisciplinary Program of Integrated Biotechnology, Sogang University) ;
  • Lee, Jeong-K. (Department of Life Science and Interdisciplinary Program of Integrated Biotechnology, Sogang University)
  • Published : 2007.08.30
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Abstract

The virulence of superoxide dismutase (SOD) mutants of Vibrio vulnificus, as tested by intraperitoneal injection into mice, decreases in the order of sodC mutant, sodA mutant, and sodB mutant lacking CuZnSOD, MnSOD, and FeSOD, respectively. The survival of SOD mutants under superoxide stress also decreases in the same order. The virulence of soxR mutant, which is unable to induce MnSOD in response to superoxide, is similar to that of the sodA mutant, as the survival of the soxR mutant under superoxide stress is similar to that of the sodA mutant. Consistently, the lowered survival of the soxR mutant is complemented not only with soxR but also with sodA. Thus, the virulence of V. vulnificus is significantly affected by the cellular level of SOD activity, and an increase in SOD level through MnSOD induction by SoxR under superoxide stress is essential for virulence.

Keywords

References

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