Cellular Management of Zinc in Group B Streptococcus Supports Bacterial Resistance against Metal Intoxication and Promotes Disseminated Infection.

ABSTRACT: Zinc is an essential trace element for normal bacterial physiology but, divergently, can intoxicate bacteria at high concentrations. Here, we define the molecular systems for Zn detoxification in Streptococcus agalactiae, also known as group B streptococcus, and examine the effects of resistance to Zn stress on virulence. We compared the growth of wild-type bacteria and mutants deleted for the Zn exporter, czcD, and the response regulator, sczA, using Zn-stress conditions in vitro Macrophage antibiotic protection assays and a mouse model of disseminated infection were used to assess virulence. Global bacterial transcriptional responses to Zn stress were defined by RNA sequencing and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. czcD and sczA enabled S

SUBMITTER: Sullivan MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8265624 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature