H 2 S: A Universal Defense Against Antibiotics in Bacteria

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1209855
• Publication Date: 2011-11-17T20:21:43Z
• Authors: Konstantin Shatalin; Elena Shatalina; Alexander Mironov; Evgeny Nudler
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Staphylococcus aureus; Bacteria; Molecular Sequence Data; Cystathionine gamma-Lyase; Cystathionine beta-Synthase; Nitric Oxide; Antioxidants; Anti-Bacterial Agents; 3. Good health; Oxidative Stress; 03 medical and health sciences; Bacillus anthracis; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Sulfurtransferases; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Escherichia coli; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; Amino Acid Sequence; Hydrogen Sulfide

Many prokaryotic species generate hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) in their natural environments. However, the biochemistry and physiological role of this gas nonsulfur bacteria remain largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that inactivation putative cystathionine β-synthase, γ-lyase, or 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase Bacillus anthracis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli suppresses H(2)S production, rendering these pathogens highly sensitive to a multitude antibiotics. Exogenous effect. Moreover, normally produce nitric oxide, two gases act synergistically sustain growth. The mechanism gas-mediated antibiotic resistance relies on mitigation oxidative stress imposed by