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The Role of Proteases in the Pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections

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Pseudomonas aeruginosa as an Opportunistic Pathogen

Part of the book series: Infectious Agents and Pathogenesis ((IAPA))

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common gram-negative organism causing nosocomial infections and is a major pathogen in immuno- and myelosuppressed patients. Unlike many other gram-negative organisms, P. aeruginosa is non-fermentative and usually aerobic but will grow under anaerobic conditions in the presence of a suitable nitrogen source. The ability to adapt to varying oxygen concentrations is undoubtedly important in enabling P. aeruginosa to survive in soil, water, wounds and devitalized tissues.1 The organism also has the ability to elaborate a large number of secretory products and proteins including extracellular proteases.2,3 The specific functions or adaptive advantages gained by P. aeruginosa in the natural environment through the secretion of these proteases are not clear, but they are probably involved in nutrient scavenging, which provides the organism with nitrogen-rich digestion products to allow growth. Two major potent proteases have been isolated, characterized and extensively studied: Pseudomonas elastase (PE) and an alkaline protease (PAP). Pseudomonas isolated from a variety of environmental sources and from the tissues of infected patients secrete these proteases,4 which are probably instrumental in initiating and controlling the tissue invasion and necrosis characteristic of Pseudomonas infections.5,6

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nephrology, Cardiff Royal Infirmary, Cardiff, Wales, CF2 1SZ, UK

    Robert Steadman

  2. Department of Medicine, Veterans Administration Medical Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Station, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA

    Louis W. Heck

  3. Department of Cell Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Station, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA

    Dale R. Abrahamson

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  1. Robert Steadman
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  2. Louis W. Heck
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  3. Dale R. Abrahamson
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Mario Campa  & Mauro Bendinelli  & 

  2. University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Herman Friedman

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Steadman, R., Heck, L.W., Abrahamson, D.R. (1993). The Role of Proteases in the Pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections . In: Campa, M., Bendinelli, M., Friedman, H. (eds) Pseudomonas aeruginosa as an Opportunistic Pathogen. Infectious Agents and Pathogenesis. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3036-7_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3036-7_7

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