Bacillus subtilis Regulators MntR and Zur Participate in Redox Cycling, Antibiotic Sensitivity, and Cell Wall Plasticity

Abstract

Manganese and zinc are essential transition metals involved in many fundamental cellular processes, including protection against external oxidative stress. In Bacillus subtilis , Zur and MntR are key transcriptional regulators of zinc and manganese homeostasis, respectively. In this work, proteome analysis of B. subtilis wild-type, Δ mntR , and Δ zur strains provided new insights into bacterial adaptation to deregulation of essential metal ions. Deletions of mntR and zur genes increased bacterial sensitivity to lysozyme, beta-lactam antibiotics, and external oxidative stress and impacted the cell wall thickness. Overall, these findings highlight that Zur and MntR regulatory networks are connected to antibiotic sensitivity and cell wall plasticity.