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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Generation of In-Frame Gene Deletion Mutants in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Testing for Virulence Attenuation in a Simple Mouse Model of Infection
08:34

Generation of In-Frame Gene Deletion Mutants in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Testing for Virulence Attenuation in a Simple Mouse Model of Infection

Published on: January 8, 2020

The GO system prevents ROS-induced mutagenesis and killing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Laurie H Sanders1, Julee Sudhakaran, Mark D Sutton

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA.

FEMS Microbiology Letters
|March 18, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Inactivating Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutM, mutY, or mutT genes significantly increased mutation rates and sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). These DNA repair genes are crucial for P. aeruginosa survival and mutagenesis, especially in cystic fibrosis airways.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen frequently found in cystic fibrosis patients.
  • DNA repair mechanisms are essential for bacterial survival and adaptation.
  • The roles of specific DNA repair genes, mutM, mutY, and mutT, in P. aeruginosa mutagenesis and H2O2 resistance are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of mutM, mutY, and mutT genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • To determine the impact of these gene inactivations on spontaneous and hydrogen peroxide-induced mutation frequencies.
  • To assess the role of these genes in P. aeruginosa resistance to oxidative stress.

Main Methods:

  • Gene inactivation of mutM, mutY, and mutT in P. aeruginosa.
  • Measurement of spontaneous and H2O2-induced mutation frequencies.
  • Assessment of bacterial survival following H2O2 exposure.
  • Nucleotide sequence analysis of the rpoB gene in rifampicin-resistant mutants.

Main Results:

  • Inactivation of mutM, mutY, or mutT resulted in 2.4-, 17.2-, and 38.1-fold increases in spontaneous mutation frequency, respectively.
  • mutY and mutT deficient strains showed robust H2O2-induced mutation frequencies.
  • mutM, mutY, and mutT mutations sensitized P. aeruginosa to H2O2-mediated killing.
  • Sequence analysis of rpoB confirmed mutations in rifampicin-resistant strains.

Conclusions:

  • The mutM, mutY, and mutT gene products play critical roles in repairing DNA damage in P. aeruginosa.
  • These genes are important for both survival and mutagenesis under oxidative stress.
  • The findings suggest potential roles for mutM, mutY, and mutT in the adaptation and persistence of P. aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis airways.

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