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Review
. 2022 Jul 25;10(8):1501.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10081501.

Metal Homeostasis in Pathogenic Streptococci

Madeline S Akbari  1 , Kelly S Doran  1 , Lindsey R Burcham  1
Affiliations
Review

Metal Homeostasis in Pathogenic Streptococci

Madeline S Akbari et al. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

Streptococcus spp. are an important genus of Gram-positive bacteria, many of which are opportunistic pathogens that are capable of causing invasive disease in a wide range of populations. Metals, especially transition metal ions, are an essential nutrient for all organisms. Therefore, to survive across dynamic host environments, Streptococci have evolved complex systems to withstand metal stress and maintain metal homeostasis, especially during colonization and infection. There are many different types of transport systems that are used by bacteria to import or export metals that can be highly specific or promiscuous. Focusing on the most well studied transition metals of zinc, manganese, iron, nickel, and copper, this review aims to summarize the current knowledge of metal homeostasis in pathogenic Streptococci, and their role in virulence.

Keywords: Streptococci; copper; iron; manganese; metal homeostasis; metal transport; nickel; virulence; zinc.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A summary diagram of all known types of transporters for Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Ni in Streptococci with arrows indicating metal import or export. Transparent shapes represent transport systems that are only characterized in one species, including MgtA (S. pneumoniae); TmpA (S. sanguinis); a third zinc SBP (S. agalactiae); ZccE (S. mutants); and Ni ABC (S. salivarius). Created using BioRender.com.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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