Influence of diverse pH and temperatures on the gene expression of toxin-antitoxin systems in Klebsiella pneumoniae

Fatima J. Hassan, Mohammed F. Al-Marjani, Intesar N. Khelkal

Abstract


Background: The type II toxin-antitoxin system consists of tightly linked genetic units that produce  a toxin and its specific antitoxin. Under typical circumstances, the antitoxin  neutralizes the toxic effects caused by the toxin. However, the toxin-antitoxin systems during stress regulate bacterial growth and persistence by affecting translation or DNA replication. This study aimed to assess how variations in temperature and pH stress influence the regulation of type II toxin-antitoxin gene expression  within Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates.

Methods: Sixty-five Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were identified by the VITEK®2 compact system and confirmed identity by Polymerase Chain Reaction assay by amplified rpoB gene (Housekeeping gene). The isolates were subjected to Reverse Transcriptase-polymerase chain Reaction assay to determine the transcriptional variations of the type II toxin-antitoxin system genes at diverse temperature and pH values.

Results: The results of the current study demonstrated higher expression levels of the antitoxin hipB gene at (37℃, 30℃, 44℃, pH 7, pH 9), mqsR toxin gene at (37℃, 30℃, pH 7, pH 5, pH 11) and relE toxin gene at (pH 5, pH 11).

Conclusion: These findings suggest the possible influence of pH and temperature on toxin-antitoxin systems, which might enhance bacterial antibiotic tolerance and persistence.

Keywords: Toxin-antitoxin systems; pH stress; Temperature stress; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Gene expression; Reverse Transcriptase PCR 


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.62940/als.v11i4.2836

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