What is Gingipain?

What is Gingipain?

Gingipains are a family of proteases secreted by Porphyromonas gingivalis. Among other functions, it works to degrade cytokines, thereby downregulating the host response in the form of reduced inflammation. Gingipain has been studied for its potential role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Where is Porphyromonas gingivalis found?

The major habitat of P. gingivalis is the subgingival sulcus of the human oral cavity. It relies on the fermentation of amino acids for energy production, a property required for its survival in deep periodontal pocket, where sugar availability is low (Bostanci and Belibasakis, 2012). Being an obligate anaerobe, P.

How is Porphyromonas gingivalis treated?

Treatment procedures of P. gingivalis–mediated diseases such as periodontitis and peri-implantitis focus on the eradication of oral pathogens at the site of infection, usually by surface debridement procedures followed by adjunctive therapies, including the use of antiseptics or/and antibiotics [61–66].

Which of the following virulence factors are important concerning periodontitis?

Recent studies have confirmed that LPS, gingipains, and fimbriae/pili are the most important pathogenic substances of P. gingivalis and the most widely studied in the field of periodontitis, and each of these factors play key roles in the progression of periodontitis (Mysak et al., 2014).

What shape is Porphyromonas gingivalis?

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, obligate anaerobe that obtains its metabolic energy from protein breakdown products, heme, and vitamin K for its growth. It is a pathobiont of the oral cavity that is distributed among the human population worldwide.

What does Porphyromonas cause?

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a Gram-negative oral anaerobe that is involved in the pathogenesis of periodontitis, an inflammatory disease that destroys the tissues supporting the tooth, eventually leading to tooth loss.

What disease does Porphyromonas gingivalis cause?

Abstract: The relationship between periodontitis and systemic diseases, notably including atherosclerosis and diabetes, has been studied for several years. Porphyromonas gingivalis, a prominent component of oral microorganism communities, is the main pathogen that causes periodontitis.

What species is Porphyromonas?

Porphyromonas is a Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, obligately anaerobic and non-motile genus from the family of Porphyromonadaceae. This genus has been found to be part of the salivary microbiome.

What bacteria causes periodontitis?

The bacteria associated with periodontal diseases are predominantly gram-negative anaerobic bacteria and may include A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis, P. intermedia, B.

How does P gingivalis cause periodontitis?

gingivalis can directly destroy periodontal tissues by secreting toxic factors such as LPS, gingipains and pili, and these important virulence factors can activate a wide range of host immune cells in periodontal tissues, triggering a local immune response, allowing the defense cells to release numerous inflammatory …

Is P. gingivalis aerobic?

gingivalis can grow aerobically, gene expression under such conditions remains unknown. Knowledge of the transcriptome of aerobically grown bacteria is of major significance.

Is Porphyromonas anaerobic?

Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria, such as Bacteroides spp., Porphyromonas spp., Prevotella spp., and Fusobacterium spp., are normally innocuous and even protective components of the human microbiota.

What is the function of the gingipain protease?

Gingipains are a family of proteases secreted by Porphyromonas gingivalis. Among other functions, it works to degrade cytokines, thereby downregulating the host response in the form of reduced inflammation.

Where do gingipains come from in the body?

Ky-Anh Nguyen, Jan Potempa, in Handbook of Proteolytic Enzymes (Third Edition), 2013. Gingipains are produced by all strains of P. gingivalis and substantial amounts of these enzymes have been found associated with the bacterial outer membrane and vesicles, with lesser quantities being present in a soluble form in culture medium.

What is the correct pH for Gingipain K?

The pH optimum of gingipain K is at pH 8.0 for the hydrolysis of small synthetic substrates, whereas with protein substrates, such as azocasein, it is near pH 8.5 [3].

Where does Gingipain K Cleave on the Lys?

Gingipain K cleaves exclusively on the C-terminal side of Lys in peptides and synthetic substrates [3,8]. Substrate turnover is affected by amino acids at the P2 position, which is most noticeable in the lack of either Arg-Lys↓Xaa or Lys-Lys↓Xaa peptide bond cleavage.