Modulation of bacterial virulence and fitness by host glutathione.

Modulation of bacterial virulence and fitness by host glutathione. Curr Opin Microbiol. 2018 Nov 02;47:8-13 Authors: Ku JW, Gan YH Abstract Glutathione is a low molecular weight thiol that is important for maintaining intracellular redox homeostasis. Some bacteria are able to import exogenous glutathione as a nutritional source and to counter oxidative stress. In cytosolic pathogens Burkholderia pseudomallei and Listeria monocytogenes, host glutathione regulates bacterial virulence. In B. pseudomallei, glutathione activates the membrane-bound histidine kinase sensor VirA that leads to activation of the Type VI Secretion System. In L. monocytogenes, host glutathione leads to the binding of bacterial glutathione to the master virulence regulator PrfA as an allosteric activator. Glutathione can also modulate virulence factors to control their activity by S-glutathionylation. Thus, host glutathione acts as a spacio-temporal cue for some pathogens to switch on their virulence programs at the right time and place. PMID: 30396015 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Current Opinion in Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: Curr Opin Microbiol Source Type: research