Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026
12:07
Profiling Thiol Redox Proteome Using Isotope Tagging Mass Spectrometry
Published on: March 24, 2012
Bacillithiol, a new player in bacterial redox homeostasis
1Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-8101, USA. jdh9@cornell.edu
Antioxidants & Redox Signaling
|August 18, 2010
Summary
Bacillithiol (BSH) is a key molecule in low GC Gram-positive bacteria, functioning similarly to glutathione but with unique enzymes. This research identifies BSH
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Bacillithiol (BSH) is a crucial cytosolic thiol in Firmicutes bacteria, analogous to glutathione (GSH).
- BSH's unique chemical structure necessitates distinct cellular enzymes for its function.
- Its discovery involved identifying mixed disulfides and analyzing labeled thiols.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the role and biochemical pathways of Bacillithiol (BSH) in bacteria.
- To identify genes and proteins associated with BSH biosynthesis and utilization.
- To understand BSH's involvement in cellular redox balance and stress adaptation.
Main Methods:
- Biochemical analysis of labeled thiols.
- Structural determination of BSH.
- Phylogenomic analysis to identify BSH-related genes and proteins.
- Investigating BSH's role in antibiotic resistance (e.g., fosfomycin).
Main Results:
- BSH structure determined and biosynthetic genes identified in B. subtilis.
- Candidate BSH-utilizing enzymes, including reductases, oxidoreductases (bacilliredoxins), and FosB (BSH-S-transferase), were identified.
- BSH is implicated in maintaining redox balance and adapting to reactive species and potentially chelating metals.
Conclusions:
- BSH is a vital redox-active molecule in Firmicutes, distinct from GSH.
- The identification of BSH-related enzymes provides a framework for understanding its biological roles.
- Further research into BSH's function in metal homeostasis and stress response is warranted.
More Related Videos
10:23Characterizing Mediated Extracellular Electron Transfer in Lactic Acid Bacteria with a Three-Electrode, Two-Chamber Bioelectrochemical System
Published on: August 23, 2024
07:16Resin-Assisted Capture Coupled with Isobaric Tandem Mass Tag Labeling for Multiplexed Quantification of Protein Thiol Oxidation
Published on: June 21, 2021
Related Concept Videos
01:20Sulfur Assimilation
Sulfur is an essential element in biological systems, contributing to synthesizing key biomolecules, including amino acids such as cysteine and methionine, and cofactors such as coenzyme A and biotin. Microorganisms primarily assimilate sulfur as sulfate (SO₄²⁻) from the environment, which must undergo a series of biochemical transformations before it can be incorporated into cellular components. As sulfate is highly oxidized, it must undergo assimilatory sulfate reduction to become...
01:28Anoxygenic Phototrophic Bacteria
Anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria are a diverse group of microorganisms that perform photosynthesis without producing oxygen. They primarily include purple sulfur bacteria, purple nonsulfur bacteria, green sulfur bacteria, and green nonsulfur bacteria. These bacteria are classified into the Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Chlorobi, and Chloroflexi lineages, each with distinct physiological and ecological adaptations.Purple sulfur bacteria belong to the...
01:30Anoxygenic Photosynthesis
Anoxygenic photosynthesis is a phototrophic process that captures light energy to drive carbon fixation without producing molecular oxygen. Unlike oxygenic photosynthesis, which utilizes water as an electron donor and releases oxygen, anoxygenic phototrophs use alternative electron donors such as hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), elemental sulfur (S⁰), or thiosulfate (S₂O₃²⁻). This process is carried out by diverse groups of bacteria, including purple bacteria, green sulfur bacteria, heliobacteria, and...
01:27Redox Reactions
Redox reactions are vital biochemical processes that underpin energy metabolism in cells. These reactions involve the transfer of electrons between molecules, occurring in tandem as oxidation and reduction. Oxidation refers to the loss of electrons, while reduction denotes their gain. This coupling ensures the seamless flow of electrons through metabolic pathways. For example, in bacterial metabolism, glucose undergoes oxidation to carbon dioxide, while oxygen is simultaneously reduced to...
01:24Redox Reactions
Oxidation-reduction or redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons from one molecule or atom to another. When an atom gains an electron, another atom must lose an electron, meaning oxidation and reduction must occur together. Since the redox occurs in pairs, the atom that gets oxidized is also called the reducing agent or reductant, and the atom that is reduced is also called the oxidizing agent or oxidant. A straightforward way to remember the definitions of oxidation and reduction is...
01:24Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles
Microbial activity plays a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycling of iron and manganese, especially at the redox gradients characteristic of stratified aquatic environments. These cycles are driven by microbial transformations between oxidized and reduced forms of the metals, allowing organisms to exploit them for metabolic energy and structural purposes.Iron Cycling Across Redox GradientsIn neutral, oxygen-rich surface waters, iron is predominantly found in its oxidized, insoluble ferric...