Resumen de Zinc Toxicity and Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis in Escherichia coli
Jianhui Li, Xiaojun Ren, Bingqian Fan, Zhaoyang Huang, Wu Wang, Huaibin Zhou, Zhefeng Lou, Huangen Ding, Jianxin Lyu, Guoqiang Tan
Zinc toxicity has been implicated in causing various human diseases. High concentrations of zinc can also inhibit bacterial cell growth. However, the underlying mechanism has not been fully understood. Here, we report that zinc overload in Escherichia coli cells inhibits iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis by targeting specific iron-sulfur cluster assembly proteins. Because iron-sulfur proteins are involved in diverse physiological processes, the zinc-mediated inhibition of iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis could be largely responsible for the zinc-mediated cytotoxicity. Our finding provides new insights on how intracellular zinc overload may inhibit cellular functions in bacteria.
