Key roles in copper efflux and protein homeostasis of the intrinsically disordered region of a bacterial outer membrane channel.

ABSTRACT: Metals like copper (Cu), zinc, and nickel exhibit dual nature, necessitating a tight regulation of their cellular homeostasis to meet physiological demands while preventing toxicity. In bacteria, metal homeostasis involves inner membrane P-type ATPases and ABC transporters, envelope-spanning tripartite efflux pumps, and outer membrane pore-forming proteins. Four decades ago, the outer membrane β-barrel protein PcoB was shown to provide an additional layer of Cu resistance in an Escherichia coli strain isolated from the gut of swine fed with Cu supplements. Interestingly, most PcoB homologs contain a poorly conserved disordered N-terminal domain (NTD) rich in histidine and methionine residues, which are commonly associated with Cu coordination in cuproproteins. This suggests a potential rol

SUBMITTER: Khochtali A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12509749 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature