The metabolic enzyme fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase acts as a transcriptional regulator in pathogenic Francisella

Nat Commun. 2017 Oct 11;8(1):853. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-00889-7.

Abstract

The enzyme fructose-bisphosphate aldolase occupies a central position in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis pathways. Beyond its housekeeping role in metabolism, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase has been involved in additional functions and is considered as a potential target for drug development against pathogenic bacteria. Here, we address the role of fructose-bisphosphate aldolase in the bacterial pathogen Francisella novicida. We demonstrate that fructose-bisphosphate aldolase is important for bacterial multiplication in macrophages in the presence of gluconeogenic substrates. In addition, we unravel a direct role of this metabolic enzyme in transcription regulation of genes katG and rpoA, encoding catalase and an RNA polymerase subunit, respectively. We propose a model in which fructose-bisphosphate aldolase participates in the control of host redox homeostasis and the inflammatory immune response.The enzyme fructose-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA) plays central roles in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. Here, Ziveri et al. show that FBA of the pathogen Francisella novicida acts, in addition, as a transcriptional regulator and is important for bacterial multiplication in macrophages.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Female
  • Francisella tularensis / enzymology*
  • Francisella tularensis / genetics
  • Francisella tularensis / pathogenicity
  • Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase / genetics
  • Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • Gluconeogenesis
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Macrophages / microbiology
  • Metabolomics
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Oxidative Stress

Substances

  • Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase
  • Glucose