50th anniversary of discovering „magic spots” â the latest advances in (p)ppGpp research

Authors

  • Maciej Dylewski Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 W. Stwosza St., 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
  • Michał Sobala Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 W. Stwosza St., 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
  • Bożena Bruhn-Olszewska Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 W. Stwosza St., 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
  • Katarzyna Potrykus Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 W. Stwosza St., 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18388/pb.2018_93

Abstract

About 50 years ago, „magic spots” â mediators of the bacterial stringent response, were discovered and were later identified as guanosine tetra- and pentaphosphate (ppGpp and pppGpp, jointly referred to as (p)ppGpp). At first, it seemed that stringent response is associated only with bacterial response to amino acid starvation, however, it soon turned out that (p)ppGpp is synthesized in response to other stresses as well. The mentioned alarmones are found to exist in all known bacterial species, as well as in plants. In recent years, a significant progress has been made in research on (p)ppGpp metabolism. It is also known that the stringent response affects many cellular processes, among which its effect on transcription is the best characterized. Moreover, (p)ppGpp is involved in the DNA repair pathway associated with transcription. In addition, the stringent response inhibits cell division, mainly by hindering DNA replication. (p)ppGpp is also of significant medical importance â it is necessary for virulence of many bacterial species and for turning them into persisters, i.e. cells which have elevated tolerance to many antibiotics.

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Published

2018-11-22

Issue

Vol. 64 No. 1 (2018)

Section

Articles

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