Mechanisms of Zinc Metallostasis in Bacterial Pathogens
First-row late d-block transition metals from Mn to Zn play critical and distinct roles in many aspects of cellular metabolism. In bacterial pathogens, metalloregulation of transcription underscores physiological adaptation to host-mediated transition metal starvation and toxicity, required to maintain metal homeostasis (metallostasis). Recent efforts to understand allostery in Zn-regulated repressors using NMR spectroscopy and companion biophysical methods, will be presented primarily focused in the Zn efflux regulator from Staphylococcus aureus, CzrA, and a Zn uptake regulator adhesin-competence repressor (AdcR) from the Gram-positive respiratory pathogen, Streptococcus pneumoniae.