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Cited by 76Bacterial Genetics and BiotechnologyRedox biology and oxidative stressFungal and yeast genetics research

Derepression of the Bacillus subtilis PerR Peroxide Stress Response Leads to Iron Deficiency

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Faulkner, M. J., Ma, Z., Fuangthong, M., Helmann, J. D.·2012·Journal of Bacteriology
DOI 10.1128/jb.06566-11PMC PMC3294777
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Abstract

The Bacillus subtilis PerR repressor regulates the adaptive response to peroxide stress. The PerR regulon includes the major vegetative catalase (katA), an iron storage protein (mrgA), an alkylhydroperoxide reductase (ahpCF), a zinc uptake system (zosA), heme biosynthesis enzymes (hemAXCDBL), the iron uptake repressor (fur), and perR itself. A perR null strain is resistant to hydrogen peroxide, accumulates a porphyrin-like compound, and grows very slowly. The poor growth of the perR mutant can be largely accounted for by the elevated expression of two proteins: the KatA catalase and Fur. Genetic studies support a model in which poor growth of the perR null mutant is due to elevated repression of iron uptake by Fur, exacerbated by heme sequestration by the abundant catalase protein. Analysis of the altered-function allele perR991 further supports a link between PerR and iron homeostasis. Strains containing perR991 are peroxide resistant but grow nearly as well as the wild type. Unlike a perR null allele, the perR991 allele (F51S) derepresses KatA, but not Fur, which likely accounts for its comparatively rapid growth.

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  • Iron quotas in E. coli and B. subtilis are ∼500 μM, predominantly in the reduced Fe2+ state.

    “The iron quotas in the model organisms E. coli and B. subtilis are ∼500 μM, which is predominantly in the reduced Fe2+ (ferrous) state.122−124”

    From Metals in Motion: Understanding Labile Metal Pools in Bacteria (2025) · cites this paper as [122]

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Authors
Faulkner, M. J., Ma, Z., Fuangthong, M., & Helmann, J. D.
Affiliations
Cornell University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Bacteriology
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Published
2011-12-22
Volume
194
Issue
5
Pages
1226-1235
ISSN
0021-9193 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1128/jb.06566-11
PMC
PMC3294777
OpenAlex
W2078752925
Cited by
76
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 6
FWCI
2.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Bacteriology (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (GM059323, R01GM059323)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Redox biology and oxidative stress
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Fungal and yeast genetics research
Keywords
Bacillus subtilis, iron homeostasis, iron deficiency, Fur repressor, heme biosynthesis, iron absorption, peroxide resistance, derepression, zinc uptake
MeSH terms
Bacillus subtilis, Bacterial Proteins, Iron, Models, Biological, Peroxides, Repressor Proteins, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Gene Deletion, Regulon, Oxidative Stress

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