Effect of heat shock and mutations in ClpL and ClpP on virulence gene expression in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

ABSTRACT: Spread of Streptococcus pneumoniae from the nasopharynx to other host tissues would require the organism to adapt to a variety of environmental conditions. Since heat shock proteins are induced by environmental stresses, we investigated the effect of heat shock on ClpL and ClpP synthesis and the effect of clpL and clpP mutations on the expression of key pneumococcal virulence genes. Pulse labeling with [(35)S]methionine and chase experiments as well as immunoblot analysis demonstrated that ClpL, DnaK, and GroEL were stable. Purified recombinant ClpL refolded urea-denatured rhodanese in a dose-dependent manner, demonstrating ClpL's chaperone activity. Although growth of the clpL mutant was not affected at 30 or 37 degrees C, growth of the clpP mutant was severely affected at these temperatu

SUBMITTER: Kwon HY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC162022 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature