The heat shock response of Fusobacterium nucleatum

Abstract

The heat-shock response of the oral Gram-negative bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum was examined. Different strains of F. nucleatum were grown at 37 C. 42 degrees C and 48 C in the presence of [35S]methionine. Cellular proteins synthesised after shifts to higher temperatures were analysed by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography. Strains ATCC 10953, F1, F3 and Fev1 exhibited heat-shock response, and major proteins were observed at 60, 70 and 90 kDa. but increased protein synthesis was also observed for other proteins. Immunoblot analysis, using a panel of antibodies directed to epitopes on different known heat-shock proteins revealed cross-reactive proteins, indicating homology between Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium leprae and F. nucleatum heat shock proteins.