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Metal Ions in Gene Regulation pp 45–76Cite as

Metal Cation Regulation in Gram-Positive Bacteria

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Part of the book series: Chapman & Hall Microbiology Series ((CHMBS))

Abstract

Metal ions have a profound influence on gene regulation in bacterial cells. First, metal ions affect the production of numerous secondary metabolites of industrial and medical importance. For example, the role of iron in the regulation of diphtheria toxin production has been appreciated for over 60 years (Pappenheimer 1936, 1977). Similarly, optimization of metal ion levels is often essential for the high-level production of secreted enzymes from bacilli, actinomycetes, and related organisms and for the synthesis of secondary metabolites such as antibiotics and surfactants (Weinberg 1990). Second, several essential metals regulate their own uptake, and toxic metals often induce specific detoxification or export machinery (Silver and Ji 1994; Silver and Walderhaug 1992). Lessons learned from analysis of these bacterial metal ion transport systems have shed light on human diseases arising from disorders of metal ion homeostasis (DiDonato and Sarkar 1997). Third, metal ion uptake systems, particularly those for iron, are important for the virulence of numerous pathogens (Cornelissen and Sparling 1994; Wooldridge and Williams 1993). Fourth, it is now appreciated that metal ions can alter the expression of proteins important in oxidative stress responses and therefore they have the capacity to affect the susceptibility of bacteria to host immune defenses (Chen et al. 1995).

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Helmann, J.D. (1998). Metal Cation Regulation in Gram-Positive Bacteria. In: Silver, S., Walden, W. (eds) Metal Ions in Gene Regulation. Chapman & Hall Microbiology Series. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5993-1_3

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