Copper in Microbial Pathogenesis: Meddling with the Metal
Open accessAbstract
Transition metals such as iron, zinc, copper, and manganese are essential for the growth and development of organisms ranging from bacteria to mammals. Numerous studies have focused on the impact of iron availability during bacterial and fungal infections, and increasing evidence suggests that copper is also involved in microbial pathogenesis. Not only is copper an essential cofactor for specific microbial enzymes, but several recent studies also strongly suggest that copper is used to restrict pathogen growth in vivo. Here, we review evidence that animals use copper as an antimicrobial weapon and that, in turn, microbes have developed mechanisms to counteract the toxic effects of copper.
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Copper is a redox-active metal able to catalyze formation of toxic hydroxyl radicals, and copper accumulation is associated with increased anti-microbial toxicity also termed metal poisoning.
“As with iron, copper is a redox-active metal able to catalyze the formation of toxic hydroxyl radicals, and copper accumulation is associated with increased anti-microbial toxicity also termed as metal poisoning (234).”
From Macrophage defense mechanisms against intracellular bacteria (2015) · cites this paper as [234]
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References 85 · Cited by 278
- Authors
- Samanovic, M. I., Ding, C., Thiele, D. J., & Darwin, K. H.
- Affiliations
- New York University (US)
- Duke University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Darwin, K. Heran
- Venue
- Cell Host & Microbe
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2012-02
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 106-115
- ISSN
- 1931-3128 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3285254
- OpenAlex
- W2066119305
- Cited by
- 278
- References
- 85
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 2.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Cell Host & Microbe (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL092774, HL92774)
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences (GM 41840, R01GM041840)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK074192, R01DK074192)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Trace Elements in Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Iron Metabolism and Disorders
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune Response and Inflammation
- Keywords
- copper, microbial pathogenesis, host defense, copper toxicity, copper homeostasis, transition metals, bacterial infection, fungal infection, metal homeostasis, host-pathogen interaction
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Anti-Infective Agents, Bacteria, Coenzymes, Copper, Humans, Models, Biological, Virulence, Host-Pathogen Interactions
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