Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24703997›Full record

ArticleResearch in microbiology2014

The recA operon: A novel stress response gene cluster in Bacteroides fragilis.

Samantha A Nicholson, Darren Smalley, C Jeffrey Smith, Valerie R Abratt

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Research in microbiology, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.2field-weighted citation impact, top 46% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Aerotolerant capacity of the lung symbiontJournal of bacteriology · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Samantha A NicholsonDepartment of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Private Bag, 7701, South Africa.
Darren SmalleyDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA.
C Jeffrey SmithDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA.
Valerie R AbrattDepartment of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Private Bag, 7701, South Africa. Electronic address: valerie.abratt@uct.ac.za.
East Carolina University · USUniversity of Cape Town · ZA

Funding

ROLE OF B.FRAGILIS OXYGEN STRESS RESPONSE IN INFECTIONR01AI040588 · NIAID · EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY · PI SMITH, CHARLES J. · 1999 to 2014
$3.5M
ROLE OF B.FRAGILIS OXYGEN STRESS RESPONSE IN INFECTIONR56AI040588 · NIAID · EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY · PI ROCHA, EDSON R, SMITH, CHARLES J. · 2009 to 2009
$334k
NIAID NIH HHS AI40588NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI040588NIAID NIH HHS R56 AI040588
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Bacteroides fragilis, an opportunistic pathogen of humans, is a leading cause of bacteraemias and anaerobic abscesses which are often treated with metronidazole, a drug which damages DNA. This study investigated the responses of the B. fragilis recA three gene operon to the stress experienced during metronidazole treatment and exposure to reactive oxygen species simulating those generated by the host immune system during infection. A transcriptionally regulated response was observed using quantitative RT-PCR after metronidazole and hydrogen peroxide treatment, with all three genes being upregulated under stress conditions. In vivo and in vitro analysis of the functional role of the second gene of the operon was done using heterologous complementation and protein expression (in Escherichia coli), with subsequent biochemical assay. This gene encoded a functional bacterioferritin co-migratory protein (BCP) which was thiol-specific and had antioxidant properties, including protection of the glutamine synthetase III enzyme. This in vitro data supports the hypothesis that the genes of the operon may be involved in protection of the bacteria from the oxidative burst during tissue invasion and may play a significant role in bacterial survival and metronidazole resistance during treatment of B. fragilis infections.

Indexed as

Multigene FamilyOperonAnti-Bacterial AgentsBacterial ProteinsBacteroides fragilisBacteroides InfectionsGene Expression Regulation, BacterialHumansMetronidazoleRec A RecombinasesStress, PhysiologicalAnti-Bacterial AgentsBacterial ProteinsMetronidazoleRec A RecombinasesBacterioferritin co-migratory proteinBacteroides fragilisrecA

Identifiers

PMID24703997
PMCPMC4059497
OpenAlexW2056347172

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.