Loss of Homogentisate 1,2-Dioxygenase Activity in Bacillus anthracis Results in Accumulation of Protective Pigment

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 10; no. 6; p. e0128967
• Main Authors: Han, Hesong, Iakovenko, Liudmyla, Wilson, Adam C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 05-06-2015; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Accumulation; Anthrax - microbiology; Bacillus anthracis; Bacillus anthracis - genetics; Bacillus anthracis - physiology; Bacillus anthracis - radiation effects; Bacillus subtilis; Bacteria; Bacterial physiology; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Biology; Catabolism; Cloning; Damage accumulation; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA Transposable Elements; E coli; Gene Deletion; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Germination; Gram-positive bacteria; Homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase; Homogentisate 1,2-Dioxygenase - genetics; Homogentisate 1,2-Dioxygenase - metabolism; Humans; Laboratories; Lymphocytes B; Melanin; Melanins - genetics; Melanins - metabolism; Microorganisms; Mutagenesis; Oxidative Stress; Pathogenicity; Pathogens; Phenylalanine; Phenylalanine - metabolism; Physiological aspects; Plasmids; Protective Agents - metabolism; Spectrum analysis; Sporulation; Tyrosine; Tyrosine - metabolism; Ultraviolet Rays; Virulence; Atlanta Georgia; United States > US; Georgia
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128967

Melanin production is important to the pathogenicity and survival of some bacterial pathogens. In Bacillus anthracis, loss of hmgA, encoding homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase, results in accumulation of a melanin-like pigment called pyomelanin. Pyomelanin is produced in the mutant as a byproduct of disrupted catabolism of L-tyrosine and L-phenylalanine. Accumulation of pyomelanin protects B. anthracis cells from UV damage but not from oxidative damage. Neither loss of hmgA nor accumulation of pyomelanin alter virulence gene expression, sporulation or germination. This is the first investigation of homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase activity in the Gram-positive bacteria, and these results provide insight into a conserved aspect of bacterial physiology.