The Role Of The Stringent Components In The Regulation Of Virulence

The aim of the existence of every organism is to survive and replicate its genetic material. The pathogen, after infection of the host, has to overcome the host’s defensive barrier. For this, bacterial pathogens use virulence-related factors, such as cell and tissue invasion, adhesion to the surface and toxin production. Numerous pathogenic microorganisms combine their virulence pathways with general mechanisms that allow their adaptation to changing environmental conditions. For this purpose, many bacteria use the global mechanisms of reaction to a stress condition, the stringent response. Here we discuss how the components of stringent response influence the virulence of pathogenic bacteria.

1. Introduction. 2. Metabolism of (p)ppGpp. 2.1. Regulatory targets of (p)ppGpp. 3. Virulence and adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. 4. The role of stringent response in the virulence of Gram-negative bacteria 4.1. Escherichia coli EHEC. 4.2. Escherichia coli UPEC. 4.3. Shigella flexneri. 4.4. Vibrio cholerae. 4.5. Salmonella enterica. 4.6. Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 4.7. Francisella tularensis. 4.8. Bordetella pertussis. 5. The role of stringent response in the virulence of Gram-positive bacteria. 5.1. Enterococcus faecalis. 5.2. Bacillus anthracis. 5.3. Staphylococcus aureus. 5.4. Streptococcus pyogenes. 5.5. Listeria monocytogenes. 6. The effect of the stringent response on the virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 7. Summary