Two previous reports also mentioned that heat stress did not decrease, but could even transiently increase, ATP levels in S. aureus [23] or E. coli [43]. To understand how heat-shocked bacteria could maintain constant intracellular ATP levels despite increased needs for repair systems, we evaluated gene expression changes in major energy-providing, metabolic pathways. Expression of genes encoding components of the glycolytic pathway remained quite constant after up-shifts to 43°C and 48°C, except for a nearly significant 2-fold decline of enolase (eno) at 48°C (see Additional file 2).

More contrasting data were obtained with expression of TCA cycle genes, with three of them, namely citZ (citrate synthase), citC (isocitrate dehydrogenase), and odhB (dihydrolipoamide selleck chemicals succinyltransferase), being up-regulated by heat-shock (48°C), while citB coding for the key TCA regulatory component aconitase was down-regulated [44]. It is unclear whether increased expression of citZ, citC, and odhB, which are conflicting with down-regulation of the TCA regulator aconitase, indicates an overall increased activity of the TCA cycle, or reflects PR-171 molecular weight individual contributions of some TCA components to other pathways. Indeed, citrate synthase may contribute to gluconeogenesis (by shuttling SB431542 citrate to oxaloacetate and back to pyruvate/phosphoenolpyruvate)

and dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase to lysine degradation. Other microarray studies also reported induction of some TCA cycle components in stress-exposed S. aureus [37, 38]. Moreover, increased transcription at 48°C of zwf (glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase) and pycA (pyruvate carboxylase) also suggested activation of the pentose phosphate and gluconeogenesis pathways, respectively (Additional Cediranib (AZD2171) file 4). We also noticed increased transcription at 48°C of three key enzymes (thiE, thiM, thiD) involved in the biosynthetic

pathway leading to thiamine pyrophosphate coenzyme (ThPP), involved in major decarboxylation reactions of glycolysis, TCA and pentose phosphate pathways. A similar up-regulation of three key enzymes (ribA, ribB, ribD) coding for riboflavin synthesis was observed at 48°C. Both ThPP and FAD are also important for branched-chain fatty acid biosynthesis, derived from the catabolism of the branched-chain amino acids leucine, valine, and isoleucine [45, 46]. Moreover, increased expression of ThPP is also essential for biosynthesis of branched amino acids, and fit well with microarray data indicating derepression of 3 genes (leuA, leuB, leuC) coding for leucine biosynthesis. Adjustment of branched-chain fatty acid biosynthesis may be an important defense mechanism against heat-induced membrane disordering and contribute to restoring optimal membrane fluidity and proton impermeability [47] (see below). Analysis of key metabolites in S.