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Essential Metal Uptake in Gram-negative Bacteria: X-ray Fluorescence, Radioisotopes, and Cell Fractionation
Published on: February 1, 2018
The copper metallome in prokaryotic cells
Christopher Rensing1, Sylvia Franke McDevitt
1Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
Metal Ions in Life Sciences
|April 19, 2013
Summary
Copper is essential for cellular function but toxic in excess. Bacteria and archaea utilize sophisticated mechanisms to manage copper metabolism, ensuring cellular health and preventing oxidative stress.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
- Trace Element Metabolism
Background:
- Copper is a vital trace element crucial for cellular functions, acting as a cofactor in enzymes due to its redox capabilities [Cu(I) ↔ Cu(II)].
- The same redox activity makes copper potentially toxic, generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and damaging iron-sulfur clusters, necessitating strict cellular homeostasis.
- Bacteria and archaea have evolved complex copper metabolism strategies to balance essential functions with toxicity risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of copper metabolism mechanisms in bacteria and archaea.
- To highlight the importance of copper in cellular function and the global nutrient cycle.
- To discuss strategies for copper uptake, sequestration, and detoxification in prokaryotes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing research on copper metabolism in prokaryotes.
- Analysis of mechanisms for copper homeostasis, including uptake, transport, and detoxification.
- Examination of the role of copper chaperones and copper-containing proteins.
Main Results:
- Prokaryotes exhibit diverse copper uptake systems, ranging from unspecific to highly sophisticated.
- Intracellular copper is managed by chaperones and sequestering molecules to prevent toxicity.
- Copper-containing proteins are often localized to the cell envelope or secreted to limit cytoplasmic accumulation.
Conclusions:
- Maintaining precise copper homeostasis is critical for bacterial and archaeal survival and function.
- Diverse detoxification strategies are employed by prokaryotes to mitigate copper-induced oxidative stress.
- Understanding copper metabolism in prokaryotes is essential for comprehending cellular physiology and global biogeochemical cycles.
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01:51Prokaryotic Cells
Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains—Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common organisms, such as Salmonella and E. coli, while the Archaea include extremophiles that live in harsh environments, such as volcanic springs.
Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins.
Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins.
01:28Prokaryotic Cells
Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains — Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common microorganisms, such as Salmonella and E. coli, while the Archaea include extremophiles that live in harsh environments, such as volcanic springs.
Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins.
Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins.
01:51Prokaryotic cells
Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains—Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common organisms, such as Salmonella and E. coli, while the Archaea include extremophiles that live in harsh environments, such as volcanic springs.
Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins.
Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins.
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