Physiological roles of bacillithiol in intracellular metal processing
Abstract
Glutathione (GSH) is an abundantly produced low-molecular-weight (LMW) thiol in many organisms. However, a number of Gram-positive bacteria do not produce GSH, but instead produce bacillithiol (BSH) as one of the major LMW thiols. Similar to GSH, studies have found that BSH has various roles in the cell, including protection against hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorite and disulfide stress. BSH also participates in the detoxification of thiol-reactive antibiotics and the electrophilic metabolite methylglyoxal. Recently, a number of studies have highlighted additional roles for BSH in the processing of intracellular metals. Herein, we examine the potential functions of BSH in the biogenesis of Fe-S clusters, cytosolic metal buffering and the prevention of metal intoxication.
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LMW thiols GSH and BSH are implicated in cytosolic trafficking of both zinc and copper.
“Similarly, the LMW thiols GSH and BSH are implicated in cytosolic trafficking of both zinc167,184 and copper197”
From Metals in Motion: Understanding Labile Metal Pools in Bacteria (2025) · cites this paper as [184]
Cites
Nutritional immunity: transition metals at the pathogen–host interface
Hood, M. I., & Skaar, E. P. (2012) · Nature Reviews Microbiology · doi:10.1038/nrmicro2836 · Cited by 1,535 · see citing works
Macomber, L., Rensing, C., & Imlay, J. A. (2007) · Journal of Bacteriology · doi:10.1128/jb.01357-06 · Cited by 356 · see citing works
Johnson, M. D. L., Kehl-Fie, T. E., Klein, R., Kelly, J., Burnham, C., Mann, B., & Rosch, J. W. (2015) · Infection and Immunity · doi:10.1128/iai.03015-14 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
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Roberts, C. A., Al-Tameemi, H. M., Mashruwala, A. A., Rosario-Cruz, Z., Chauhan, U., Sause, W. E., Torres, V. J., Belden, W. J., & Boyd, J. M. (2017) · Infection and Immunity · doi:10.1128/iai.00100-17 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Metals in Motion: Understanding Labile Metal Pools in Bacteria
Helmann, J. D. (2025) · Biochemistry · doi:10.1021/acs.biochem.4c00726 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
- Authors
- Rosario-Cruz, Z., & Boyd, J. M.
- Affiliations
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
- Corresponding author
- Boyd, Jeffrey M.
- ORCID
- Boyd, Jeffrey M.
- Venue
- Current Genetics
- Published
- 2015-08-11
- Volume
- 62
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 59-65
- ISSN
- 0172-8083 (ISSN-L)
- 1432-0983
- OpenAlex
- W2119354667
- Cited by
- 34
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 2
- FWCI
- 0.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Current Genetics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Rutgers University Community Repository (Rutgers University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Food and Agriculture (RF project NE−1028)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Sulfur Compounds in Biology
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Redox biology and oxidative stress
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Keywords
- bacillithiol, low molecular weight thiols, iron-sulfur cluster assembly, metal toxicity, Gram-positive bacteria, glutathione, oxidative stress detoxification, methylglyoxal detoxification
- MeSH terms
- Cysteine, Glucosamine, Glutathione, Gram-Positive Bacteria, Iron, Metals, Sulfhydryl Compounds, Intracellular Space
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