Zinc uptake systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract:

As a structural, catalytic, and regulatory component, zinc plays a key role in many cellular processes. It is also necessary for the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. It is not only involved in microbial pathogen metabolism and various virulence play, but also necessary for microbial pathogen infection and colonization in the host. When Pseudomonas aeruginosa infects the host to exert its virulence, the host will adopt the strategy of nutritional immunity to limit the concentration of free zinc ions in the internal environment and inhibit the infection and colonization of the pathogen. On the contrary, P. aeruginosa overcomes the host's nutritional immune defenses through its own zinc uptake systems. This review focuses on the three known zinc uptake systems (ZnuABC, HmtA and CntRLMN) and zinc uptake regulator (Zur) in P. aeruginosa, and further analyzes other potential zinc uptake pathways. The important roles of P. aeruginosa zinc uptake systems in host virulence and nutritional immune defense are also discussed. A systematic summary of the P. aeruginosa zinc uptake pathways is aimed at providing guidance for the development of new anti-P. aeruginosa drugs targeted zinc uptake systems.