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PMID: 12105274 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Trehalose synthesis is induced upon exposure of Escherichia coli to cold and is essential for viability at low temperatures.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ·Vol. 99 ·No. 15 ·2002-07-23 ·Pages 9727-32

Kandror O, DeLeon A, Goldberg AL

Abstract

Trehalose accumulates dramatically in microorganisms during heat shock and osmotic stress and helps protect cells against thermal injury and oxygen radicals. Here we demonstrate an important role of this sugar in cold-adaptation of bacteria. A mutant Escherichia coli strain unable to produce trehalose died much faster than the wild type at 4 degrees C. Transformation of the mutant with the otsA/otsB genes, responsible for trehalose synthesis, restored trehalose content and cell viability at 4 degrees C. After temperature downshift from 37 degrees C to 16 degrees C ("cold shock"), trehalose levels in wild-type cells increased up to 8-fold. Although this accumulation of trehalose did not influence growth at 16 degrees C, it enhanced cell viability when the temperature fell further to 4 degrees C. Before the trehalose build-up, levels of mRNA encoding OtsA/OtsB increased markedly. This induction required the sigma factor, RpoS, but was independent of the major cold-shock protein, CspA. otsA/B mRNA was much more stable at 16 degrees C than at 37 degrees C and contained a "downstream box," characteristic of cold-inducible mRNAs. Thus, otsA/otsB induction and trehalose synthesis are activated during cold shock (as well as during heat shock) and play an important role in resistance of E. coli (and probably other organisms) to low temperatures.

MeSH Terms
Acclimatization/physiology Base Sequence Cell Survival Cold Temperature Escherichia coli/cytology,genetics,metabolism Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic Glucosyltransferases/genetics Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases/genetics RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional RNA, Messenger/genetics Trehalose/biosynthesis
Chemicals
RNA, Messenger Trehalose Glucosyltransferases trehalose-6-phosphate synthase trehalose-phosphatase Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Kandror Olga
Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
DeLeon Ann
Goldberg Alfred L
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Article Info
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Abbr.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
ISSN
0027-8424
DOI
10.1073/pnas.142314099
Published
2002-07-23
Epub
2002-00-08
Pages
9727-32
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
7505876
PMCID
PMC124994
Subset
IM
Grants
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM051923 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM 51923 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1073/pnas.142314099 PMC Full Text View journal details
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