Cited by 45Bacterial Genetics and BiotechnologyBacterial Infections and VaccinesReproductive tract infections research

The novel interaction between Neisseria gonorrhoeae TdfJ and human S100A7 allows gonococci to subvert host zinc restriction

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Maurakis, Stavros, Keller, Kayla, Maxwell, C. Noel, Pereira, Kevin, Chazin, Walter J., Criss, Alison K., Cornelissen, Cynthia Nau·2019·PLOS Pathogens

Abstract

Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes the sexually-transmitted infection gonorrhea, a global disease that is difficult to treat and for which there is no vaccine. This pathogen employs an arsenal of conserved outer membrane proteins called TonB-dependent transporters (TdTs) that allow the gonococcus to overcome nutritional immunity, the host strategy of sequestering essential nutrients away from invading bacteria to handicap infectious ability. N. gonorrhoeae produces eight known TdTs, of which four are utilized for acquisition of iron or iron chelates from host-derived proteins or xenosiderophores produced by other bacteria. Of the remaining TdTs, two of them, TdfH and TdfJ, facilitate zinc uptake. TdfH was recently shown to bind Calprotectin, a member of the S100 protein family, and subsequently extract its zinc, which is then internalized by N. gonorrhoeae. Like Calprotectin, other S100s are also capable of binding transition metals such as zinc and copper, and thus have demonstrated growth suppression of numerous other pathogens via metal sequestration. Considering the functional and structural similarities of the TdTs and of the S100s, as well as the upregulation in response to Zn limitation shown by TdfH and TdfJ, we sought to evaluate whether other S100s have the ability to support gonococcal growth by means of zinc acquisition and to frame this growth in the context of the TdTs. We found that both S100A7 and S10012 are utilized by N. gonorrhoeae as a zinc source in a mechanism that depends on the zinc transport system ZnuABC. Moreover, TdfJ binds directly to S100A7, from which it internalizes zinc. This interaction is restricted to the human version of S100A7, and zinc presence in S100A7 is required to fully support gonococcal growth. These studies highlight how gonococci co-opt human nutritional immunity, by presenting a novel interaction between TdfJ and human S100A7 for overcoming host zinc restriction.

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Authors
Maurakis, S., Keller, K., Maxwell, C. N., Pereira, K., Chazin, W. J., Criss, A. K., & Cornelissen, C. N.
Affiliations
  • Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
  • Vanderbilt University (US)
  • University of Virginia (US)
  • Georgia State University (US)
Corresponding author
Cornelissen, Cynthia Nau
Venue
PLOS Pathogens
Published
2019-08-01
Volume
15
Issue
8
Pages
e1007937
ISSN
  • 1553-7366 (ISSN-L)
  • 1553-7374
OpenAlex
W2964419323
Cited by
45
References
87
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 1
FWCI
3.76
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS Pathogens (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (AI125421, AI127793, U19 AI144182)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Reproductive tract infections research
Keywords
Neisseria gonorrhoeae, S100A7, S100A12, TonB-dependent transporters, zinc uptake, nutritional immunity, calprotectin, S-100 protein, host-bacteria interactions, gonorrhea
MeSH terms
S100 Calcium Binding Protein A7, Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins, Gonorrhea, Humans, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Zinc, Mice, Host-Pathogen Interactions

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