US EPA

3826661 

Journal Article 

Degradation of arginine by Slackia exigua ATCC 700122 and Cryptobacterium curtum ATCC 700683 

Uematsu, H; Sato, N; Djais, A; Hoshino, E 

2006 

1 

Oral Microbiology and Immunology
ISSN: 0902-0055
EISSN: 1399-302X 

21 

6 

381-384 

English 

17064396 

10.1111/j.1399-302X.2006.00307.x 

WOS:000241500600007 

Slackia exigua ATCC 700122(T) and Cryptobacterium curtum ATCC 700683(T) were our isolates from infected root canal and human periodontal pocket, respectively; they are asaccharolytic anaerobic gram-positive rods, which are predominant in the oral cavity. They utilize arginine, so our aim was to investigate the pathway of arginine degradation. Metabolic end products were determined with high-performance liquid chromatography. The related enzymatic activities in cell-free extract were also assayed. Both S. exigua and C. curtum degraded arginine and produced substantial amounts of citrulline, ornithine and ammonia. Arginine and citrulline supported the growth of both strains. As the related enzymatic activities, arginine deiminase, ornithine carbamoyltransferase and carbamate kinase activities were detected in the cell-free extract of S. exigua and C. curtum. Arginase and urease activities were not detected in either organism. These results suggest that arginine was metabolized by the arginine deiminase pathway. Both S. exigua and C. curtum degrade arginine via the arginine deiminase pathway. 

Arginine; Arginine deiminase pathway; Cryptobacterium curtum; Slackia exigua; ammonia; arginine; arginine deiminase; carbamate kinase; citrulline; ornithine; ornithine carbamoyltransferase; amino acid metabolism; anaerobic bacterium; article; bacterial growth; bacterial infection; controlled study; Cryptobacterium curtum; enzyme activity; Gram positive bacterium; high performance liquid chromatography; mouth cavity; nonhuman; periodontitis; protein degradation; Slackia exigua; tooth root canal; Ammonia; Arginine; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Citrulline; Dental Pulp Necrosis; Eubacterium; Humans; Hydrolases; Ornithine; Periodontal Pocket