Monitoring of dnaK gene expression in Porphyromonas gingivalis by oxygen stress using DNA microarray.

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a Gram-negative anaerobe associated with adult periodontitis, expresses numerous potential virulence factors. dnaK, a member of the heat shock protein family, functions as a molecular chaperone and plays a role in microbial pathogenicity. However, little is known regarding its gene expression caused by oxygen stress in P. gingivalis. In the present study, a custom-made DNA microarray was designed and used to monitor dnaK gene expression in P. gingivalis caused by oxygen stress. The results demonstrated that dnaK mRNA was up-regulated in a short time, and the DNA microarray results were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. These findings suggest that oxygen stress stimulates gene expression of dnaK and may have a relationship to the aerotolerance activity of this organism as well as its expression of pathogenesis.