Chlorate Specifically Targets Oxidant-Starved, Antibiotic-Tolerant Populations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms.

ABSTRACT: Nitrate respiration is a widespread mode of anaerobic energy generation used by many bacterial pathogens, and the respiratory nitrate reductase, Nar, has long been known to reduce chlorate to the toxic oxidizing agent chlorite. Here, we demonstrate the antibacterial activity of chlorate against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a representative pathogen that can inhabit hypoxic or anoxic host microenvironments during infection. Aerobically grown P. aeruginosa cells are tobramycin sensitive but chlorate tolerant. In the absence of oxygen or an alternative electron acceptor, cells are tobramycin tolerant but chlorate sensitive via Nar-dependent reduction. The fact that chlorite, the product of chlorate reduction, is not detected in culture supernatants suggests that it may react rapidly

SUBMITTER: Spero MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6156191 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature