Metabolic proteins with crucial roles in Edwardsiella tarda antioxidative adaptation and intracellular proliferation

Edwardsiella tarda is a severe fish pathogen, featured by its capacity to live inside host phagocytes. For intracellular survival, it is crucial for E. tarda to neutralize the deleterious effect of host reactive oxygen species (ROS). Accumulating evidence suggests that bacterial metabolism is closely connected to oxidative resistance. However, the roles of E. tarda metabolic proteins in antioxidative adaptation and intracellular proliferation remain elusive. In this study, we performed a proteomic analysis on E. tarda and identified 111 proteins responsive to H(2)O(2)-mediated oxidative stress. Based on this data, we further obtained eight crucial proteins, including seven metabolic proteins, for E. tarda antioxidation and intracellular infection. Among them, two C4-dicarboxylate transporters were found necessary for E. tarda to disseminate in fish tissues. Furthermore, the substrate of the two transporters was identified as L-aspartate, which was proven to be essential for the full antioxidative capacity of E. tarda. Our results indicate that reprogramming the metabolic flux to the production of pyruvate, a ketoacid capable of neutralizing ROS, was likely a pivotal strategy of E. tarda to survive the oxidative environments inside host cells. Together, the findings of this study highlight the significance of metabolic reprogramming for bacterial redox homeostasis and intracellular infection. IMPORTANCE: Edwardsiella tarda is a significant fish pathogen that can live in challenging environments of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as inside the phagocytes. Metabolic reconfiguration has been increasingly associated with bacterial oxidative tolerance and virulence. However, the metabolic proteins of E. tarda involved in such processes remain elusive. By proteomic analysis and functional characterization of protein null mutants, the present study identified eight crucial proteins for bacterial oxidative resistance and intracellular infection. Seven of them are metabolic proteins dictating the metabolic flux toward the generation of pyruvate, a key metabolite capable of scavenging ROS molecules. Furthermore, L-aspartate uptake, which can fuel the pyruvate generation, was found essential for the full antioxidative capacity of E. tarda. These findings identified seven metabolic proteins involved in bacterial oxidative adaptation and indicate that metabolic reprogramming toward pyruvate was likely a pivotal strategy of bacteria for antioxidative adaptation and intracellular survival.