Knockout of ribosomal protein RpmJ leads to zinc resistance in Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: Zinc is an essential metal for cells, but excess amounts are toxic. Other than by regulating the intracellular zinc concentration by zinc uptake or efflux, the mechanisms underlying bacterial resistance to excess zinc are unknown. In the present study, we searched for zinc-resistant mutant strains from the Keio collection, a gene knockout library of Escherichia coli, a model gram-negative bacteria. We found that knockout mutant of RpmJ (L36), a 50S ribosomal protein, exhibited zinc resistance. The rpmJ mutant was sensitive to protein synthesis inhibitors and had altered translation fidelity, indicating ribosomal dysfunction. In the rpmJ mutant, the intracellular zinc concentration was decreased under excess zinc conditions. Knockout of ZntA, a zinc efflux pump, abolished the zinc-resistant

SUBMITTER: Shirakawa R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10038286 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature