Polyphosphate Functions In Vivo as an Iron Chelator and Fenton Reaction Inhibitor.

ABSTRACT: Maintaining cellular iron homeostasis is critical for organismal survival. Whereas iron depletion negatively affects the many metabolic pathways that depend on the activity of iron-containing enzymes, any excess of iron can cause the rapid formation of highly toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) through Fenton chemistry. Although several cellular iron chelators have been identified, little is known about if and how organisms can prevent the Fenton reaction. By studying the effects of cisplatin, a commonly used anticancer drug and effective antimicrobial, we discovered that cisplatin elicits severe iron stress and oxidative DNA damage in bacteria. We found that both of these effects are successfully prevented by polyphosphate (polyP), an abundant polymer consisting solely of covalently linke

SUBMITTER: Beaufay F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7387796 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature