Characterization of a Helicobacter hepaticus putA mutant strain in host colonization and oxidative stress.

ABSTRACT: Helicobacter hepaticus is a gram-negative, spiral-shaped microaerophilic bacterium associated with chronic intestinal infection leading to hepatitis and colonic and hepatic carcinomas in susceptible strains of mice. In the closely related human pathogen Helicobacter pylori, L-proline is a preferred respiratory substrate and is found at significantly high levels in the gastric juice of infected patients. A previous study of the proline catabolic PutA flavoenzymes from H. pylori and H. hepaticus revealed that Helicobacter PutA generates reactive oxygen species during proline oxidation by transferring electrons from reduced flavin to molecular oxygen. We further explored the preference for proline as a respiratory substrate and the potential impact of proline metabolism on the redox environme

SUBMITTER: Krishnan N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2446744 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature