Role of an archaeal PitA transporter in the copper and arsenic resistance of Metallosphaera sedula, an extreme thermoacidophile.

ABSTRACT: Thermoacidophilic archaea, such as Metallosphaera sedula, are lithoautotrophs that occupy metal-rich environments. In previous studies, an M. sedula mutant lacking the primary copper efflux transporter, CopA, became copper sensitive. In contrast, the basis for supranormal copper resistance remained unclear in the spontaneous M. sedula mutant, CuR1. Here, transcriptomic analysis of copper-shocked cultures indicated that CuR1 had a unique regulatory response to metal challenge corresponding to the upregulation of 55 genes. Genome resequencing identified 17 confirmed mutations unique to CuR1 that were likely to change gene function. Of these, 12 mapped to genes with annotated function associated with transcription, metabolism, or transport. These mutations included 7 nonsynonymous substitutio

SUBMITTER: McCarthy S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4187696 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature