Differentially regulated proteins in Prevotella intermedia after oxidative stress analyzed by 2D electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

Prevotella intermedia is a rod-shaped, Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium found in human indigenous microbiota that plays an important role in opportunistic infections. The successful colonization depends on the ability of anaerobes to respond to oxidative stress (OS) in oxygenated tissues as well as to resist oxidative events from the host immune system until anaerobic conditions are present at the infection site. As knowledge of the mechanisms of protection against OS in Prevotella is limited, studies are needed to clarify aspects of molecular biology, physiology and ecology of this bacterium. The aim of this study was to access the proteins differentially regulated in P. intermedia after exposure to molecular oxygen by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) associated with the approach of MALDI-TOF/TOF Tandem Mass Spectrometry. The identity of the protein was evaluated by database search for homologous genomic sequences of P. intermedia strain 17 (TIGR). Twenty five out of 72 proteins found were identified as up-regulated (17) or down-regulated (9). These proteins were related to a variety of metabolic process, some of which could be associated to antioxidant and redox regulatory roles. Our data indicate that OS may stimulate an adaptive response in P. intermedia whose effect on its biology may be evidenced by the increase in aerotolerance and changes in protein abundance in the oxygen adapted cells.