Behrends, Volker, Williams, Kerstin J, Jenkins, Victoria A, Robertson, Brian D and Bundy, Jacob G (2012) Free glucosylglycerate is a novel marker of nitrogen stress in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Journal of proteome research, 11 (7). pp. 3888-3896. ISSN 1535-3893

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Abstract

Nitrogen is an essential element for bacterial growth and as such bacteria have evolved several
pathways to assimilate nitrogen and adapt to situations of nitrogen limitation. However, the adaptation
of mycobacteria to nitrogen stress and the regulation of the stress response pathways is unknown.
Identification of key metabolites produced by mycobacteria during nitrogen stress could therefore
provide important insights into mycobacterial survival strategies. Here we used NMR-based
metabolomics to monitor and quantify intracellular and extracellular metabolite levels (metabolic
footprinting) in Mycobacterium smegmatis grown under nitrogen-limiting and nitrogen-rich conditions.
There were several metabolic differences between the two conditions: following nitrogen run-out, there
was an increase in intracellular α-ketoglutarate and a decrease in intracellular glutamine and glutamate
levels. In addition, a sugar-derived compound accumulated in nitrogen-starved cells that was subsequently assigned as glucosylglycerate (GGA). Free GGA production was responsive to nitrogen stress in M. smegmatis but not to oxidative or osmotic stress; lack of a functional GGA synthesis
pathway slightly reduced growth and decreased ammonium uptake rates under nitrogen-limiting conditions. Hence, GGA could contribute to the fitness of mycobacteria under nitrogen limitation.

Item Type:	Article
Identifier:	10.1021/pr300371b
Keywords:	NMR, nitrogen stress, carbon metabolism, nutrient limitation, metabolic footprinting, glucosylglycerate, glucosylglyceric acid, Mycobacteria
Subjects:	Natural sciences > Cell and molecular biology Natural sciences
Depositing User:	Volker Behrends
Date Deposited:	20 May 2024 12:44
Last Modified:	20 May 2024 12:44
URI:	https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/11457

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