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Metals

Ironing out copper toxicity

Siderophores are small molecules allowing microorganisms to competitively acquire iron from soils, aquatic systems or host proteins. New research shows that a siderophore secreted by some bacterial pathogens also binds copper and protects against host-derived copper toxicity during infection.

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Figure 1: Cu(II) sequestration by yersiniabactin protects from catecholate-mediated toxic Cu(I) formation.

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Correspondence to Charles M Dozois.

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Garénaux, A., Dozois, C. Ironing out copper toxicity. Nat Chem Biol 8, 680–681 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.1027

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