An ancient molecule in a recalcitrant pathogen: the contributions of poly-P to the pathogenesis and stress responses of Campylobacter jejuni.

摘要

Inorganic polyphosphate (poly-P) is a linear polymer of orthophosphate residues that serves as an energy source as well as a mediator of key cellular functions in bacteria. Recent studies have identified the metabolism of poly-P as an important mechanism that contributes to adaptation, resistance to stress and cellular homeo-stasis in Campylobacterjejuni, a well-established foodborne bacterial pathogen. However, the mechanisms through which poly-P and cognate enzymes impact C. jejuni as well as the metabolic pathways involved in maintaining this polymer remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we discuss potential impacts of poly-P metabolism and its relationship to other features that contribute to the pathobiology of C. jejuni.