EFFECT OF HYPOMAGNETIC ENVIRONMENT ON THE CELL PROTEOME OF BACTERIAL CULTURES

Investigations of differentially regulated molecular characteristics based on the results of panoramic profiling of bacterial cell lysate proteomes using chromatography-mass spectrometry and gene ontology analysis, identification of the enzymes involved in the metabolic activity and modification of the proteomes of strains cultivated in a hypomagnetic environment (HME) displayed dissimilar effects on lysate proteomes of epidermal staphylococci strains S1 and S3. Nonetheless, molecular responses of certain bacterial properties are alike. Both strains enlarged individual urease subunits (in S3, this was alpha-subunit only; in S1, these were alpha, beta and gamma subunits). Also, the strains increased levels of some pathogenicity factors, such as proteins associated with antibacterial resistance, DNAs, proteins binding to elastin and fibrinogen, and involved in biosynthesis of lipoteichoic acids essential for adhesion to epithelial cells. Although the number of samples was not large, these results demonstrate an obvious proteomic response to HME suggesting activation of the mechanisms which increase bacterial pathogenicity. This observation is of importance, specifically, for designing a habitable lunar base in near future.