Preferential catabolism of l ‐ vs d ‐serine by Proteus mirabilis contributes to pathogenesis and catheter‐associated urinary tract infection

What is it about?

Amino acids are a predominant nutrient in urine, and their import and catabolism has been hypothesized to contribute to the ability of bacteria to cause urinary tract infection. We demonstrate that a common uropathogen, Proteus mirabilis, preferentially catabolizes L-serine followed by D-serine, threonine, tyrosine, and glutamine during growth in human urine. We further demonstrate that L-serine catabolism provides a greater fitness advantage than D-serine catabolism, yet both pathways contribute to pathogenesis in the urinary tract.

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