Mechanisms of action of escapin, a bactericidal agent in the ink secretion of the sea hare Aplysia californica: rapid and long-lasting DNA condensation and involvement of the OxyR-regulated oxidative stress pathway.

ABSTRACT: The marine snail Aplysia californica produces escapin, an L-amino acid oxidase, in its defensive ink. Escapin uses L-lysine to produce diverse products called escapin intermediate products of L-lysine (EIP-K), including α-amino-ε-caproic acid, Δ¹-piperidine-2-carboxylic acid, and Δ²-piperidine-2-carboxylic acid. EIP-K and H₂O₂ together, but neither alone, is a powerful bactericide. Here, we report bactericidal mechanisms of escapin products on Escherichia coli. We show that EIP-K and H₂O₂ together cause rapid and long-lasting DNA condensation: 2-min treatment causes significant DNA condensation and killing, and 10-min treatment causes maximal effect, lasting at least 70 h. We isolated two mutants resistant to EIP-K plus H₂O₂, both having a single missense mutation in the oxidation regulato

SUBMITTER: Ko KC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3318362 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature