Soft-metal(loid)s induce protein aggregation in Escherichia coli

• DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1281058
• Publication Date: 2023-11-22T14:08:19Z
• Authors: Fabián A. Cornejo; Claudia Muñoz-Vil...; Roberto A. Luraschi; María P. Sandoval...; Camila A. Cancino; Benoit Pugin; Eduardo H. Morales; Jeff S. Piotrowski; Juan M. Sandoval; Claudio C. Vásquez; Felipe A. Arenas
• Keywords: Metal Toxicity

Metal(loid) salts were used to treat infectious diseases in the past due their exceptional biocidal properties at low concentrations. However, mechanism of toxicity has yet be fully elucidated. The production reactive oxygen species (ROS) been linked soft metal(loid)s such as Ag(I), Au(III), As(III), Cd(II), Hg(II), and Te(IV). Nevertheless, few reports have described direct, or ROS-independent, effects some these soft-metal(loid)s on bacteria, including dismantling iron-sulfur clusters [4Fe-4S] accumulation porphyrin IX. Here, we genome-wide genetic, proteomic, biochemical approaches under anaerobic conditions evaluate direct mechanisms Escherichia coli. We found that certain promote protein aggregation a ROS-independent manner. This occurs during translation presence Te(IV) post-translationally cells exposed Cd(II) As(III). determined aggregated proteins involved several essential biological processes could lead cell death. For instance, enzymes amino acid biosynthesis after soft-metal(loid) exposure, disrupting intracellular concentration. also propose possible explain how act proteotoxic agents.