Glycosulfatase activity of Porphyromonas gingivalis a bacterium associated with periodontal disease

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a bacterium implicated in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease, was found to elaborate an extracellular glycosulfatase enzyme. Upon purification by low temperature acetone fractionation, an active enzyme at 60% acetone was obtained which on SDS-PAGE gave a protein band of 37kDa. The glycosulfatase effectively caused desulfation of galactosyl- and lactosylceramide sulfates (pH 5.0) which contain the sulfate ester groups at C-3 of galactose, a well as proteoglycans (pH 5.7-6.2) of gingival tissue which are rich in N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfate, but not the sulfated salivary mucin with the sulfate groups at C-6 of galactose and C-6 of N-acetylglucosamine. The results demonstrate for the first time that P. gingivalis displays glycosulfatase activity and that the disruptive action of this enzyme may be a major factor in the etiology of periodontal disease.