Enterococcus faecalis zinc-responsive proteins mediate bacterial defence against zinc overload, lysozyme and oxidative stress

Two Enterococcus faecalis genes encoding the P-type ATPase EF1400 and the putative SapB protein EF0759 were previously shown to be strongly upregulated in the presence of high concentrations of zinc. In the present work, we showed that a Zn(2+)-responsive DNA-binding motif (zim) is present in the pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Microbiology (Society for General Microbiology) Vol. 160; no. Pt 12; pp. 2755 - 2762
Main Authors:	Abrantes, Marta C, Kok, Jan, Silva Lopes, Maria de Fátima
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England 01-12-2014
Subjects:	Bacterial Proteins - genetics Bacterial Proteins - metabolism Binding Sites Enterococcus faecalis - drug effects Enterococcus faecalis - genetics Enterococcus faecalis - metabolism Enterococcus faecalis - physiology Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Microbial Viability - drug effects Muramidase - metabolism Oxidative Stress Promoter Regions, Genetic Stress, Physiological Zinc - metabolism Zinc - toxicity
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Summary:	Two Enterococcus faecalis genes encoding the P-type ATPase EF1400 and the putative SapB protein EF0759 were previously shown to be strongly upregulated in the presence of high concentrations of zinc. In the present work, we showed that a Zn(2+)-responsive DNA-binding motif (zim) is present in the promoter regions of these genes. Both proteins were further studied with respect to their involvement in zinc homeostasis and invasion of the host. EF0759 contributed to intramacrophage survival by an as-yet unknown mechanism(s). EF1400, here renamed ZntAEf, is an ATPase with specificity for zinc and plays a role in dealing with several host defences, i.e. zinc overload, oxidative stress and lysozyme; it provides E. faecalis cells with the ability to survive inside macrophages. As these three host defence mechanisms are important at several sites in the host, i.e. inside macrophages and in saliva, this work suggested that ZntAEf constitutes a crucial E. faecalis defence mechanism that is likely to contribute to the ability of this bacterium to endure life inside its host.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	1350-0872 1465-2080
DOI:	10.1099/mic.0.080341-0