Host subversion of bacterial metallophore usage drives copper intoxication
Saika Hossain1, Jacqueline R Morey1, Stephanie L Neville2
1Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|July 3, 2023
Summary
The pathogen Staphylococcus aureus uses staphylopine to scavenge zinc but this also allows copper uptake, making it vulnerable to host-induced copper toxicity. This highlights a conserved bacterial weakness exploitable by the immune system.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology and Immunology
- Bacterial Pathogenesis
- Metal Homeostasis
Background:
- Bacteria require metal ions for survival but face risks of toxicity.
- Metallophores are molecules bacteria use to acquire metals, but they have limited metal specificity.
- The role of metallophore-mediated metal uptake in bacterial pathogenesis is not fully understood.
Conclusions:
- The broad metal-chelating ability of metallophores can be a double-edged sword, potentially leading to metal intoxication.
- Hosts can exploit the promiscuity of metallophores like staphylopine to induce metal toxicity in pathogens.
- This represents a conserved mechanism for host-mediated antibacterial control across various pathogens.
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