Biosynthetic and Functional Studies of Bacillithiol in Gram-positive Bacteria

Low-molecular-weight (LMW) thiols play vital roles on a variety of cell metabolic pathways including oxidative stress management, xenobiotic detoxification, post-translational modification, and metal homeostasis. Previous studies have identified glutathione (GSH) as the dominant LMW thiol in eukaryotic cells as well as Gram-negative bacteria and mycothiol (MSH) as the dominant LMW thiol in Actinobacteria. Functional studies on those thiols have revealed their importance in cell metabolism, also their potential as target for antimicrobial development. Interestingly, neither GSH nor MSH was found in low G+C Gram-positive bacteria, including some notable pathogens, such as B. anthracis, B. cereus and S. aureus, etc. In 2009, a novel LMW thiol, bacillithiol (BSH), was identified in this class of bacteria and suggested to play analogous function as GSH and MSH.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Fang, Zhong

• Bacillithiol

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/57126

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/57126