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SspA, an outer membrane protein, is highly induced under salt-stressed conditions and is essential for growth under salt-stressed aerobic conditions in Rhodobacter sphaeroides f. sp. denitrificans

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology volume 68, pages 242–250 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

We have previously shown that an outer membrane protein, SspA, is prominently induced by salt stress in a photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodobacter sphaeroides f. sp. denitrificans IL106 (R. sphaeroides). In this study, we investigated the physiological role of SspA under various stress conditions. Using recombinant SspA expressed in Escherichia coli as an antigen, the polyclonal antiserum of SspA was prepared. Western blot analysis demonstrated that SspA was highly induced by salt stress under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions. SspA was also induced, but to a lesser extent, by osmotic and acid stress. It is reduced under heat and cold compared to non-stressed conditions. While sspA-disrupted R. sphaeroides grew normally under anaerobic conditions in either the presence or absence of stress, it displayed significantly retarded growth under aerobic conditions in the dark, especially when osmotic or salt stress were imposed. In addition, the sspA disruptant, but not the wild type, formed cell aggregates when grown under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions, and this phenotype was significantly enhanced under salt-stressed aerobic conditions. Together, our findings suggest that SspA is critical under salt-stressed, aerobic growth conditions.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Drs. K. Matsuura, K. Shimada, K. V. P. Nagashima, (Tokyo Metropolitan University) and Dr. S. Masuda (RIKEN) for the gift of the E. coli strains, plasmids, and for expert technical assistance

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan

    M. Tsuzuki, XY. Xu, K. Sato, M. Abo & A. Okubo

  2. Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan

    M. Arioka, H. Nakajima & K. Kitamoto

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  1. M. Tsuzuki
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  2. XY. Xu
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  3. K. Sato
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  4. M. Abo
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  5. M. Arioka
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  6. H. Nakajima
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  7. K. Kitamoto
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  8. A. Okubo
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Correspondence to M. Tsuzuki.

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Tsuzuki, M., Xu, X., Sato, K. et al. SspA, an outer membrane protein, is highly induced under salt-stressed conditions and is essential for growth under salt-stressed aerobic conditions in Rhodobacter sphaeroides f. sp. denitrificans. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 68, 242–250 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1852-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1852-7

Keywords

  • Salt Stress
  • Aerobic Condition
  • Synechocystis
  • Glycine Betaine
  • Ectoine