Induction of Carbon Starvation-Induced Proteins in Vibrio vulnificus

By using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of pulse-labelled proteins, carbon starvation-induced (Sti) proteins produced by Vibrio vulnificus were identified. At least 34 proteins were induced over a 26-h period of carbon starvation. Although the total rate of protein synthesis over the 26-h starvation period suggests that there is a dramatic decrease in total protein synthesis within the first hour of starvation, at least 23 of the Sti proteins were induced within the first 20 min of carbon depletion. Six temporal classes of proteins could be identified, with class A(ii) encompassing the largest (21 proteins) group. All of the proteins in this group could be characterized by one of two patterns of protein synthesis. The addition of chloramphenicol at sequential times throughout starvation revealed that proteins required for starvation survival are made within the first 4 h of starvation.