Fig. 8: Bactericidal effect of copper in macrophages and the role of MMAR_0267 in copper homeostasis. | Communications Biology

Fig. 8: Bactericidal effect of copper in macrophages and the role of MMAR_0267 in copper homeostasis.

From: Mycobacterium marinum MMAR_0267-regulated copper utilization facilitates bacterial escape from phagolysosome

Fig. 8

In macrophages, copper ions are absorbed using the high-affinity Cu transporter Ctr1 when engulfing M. marinum, then transported to Atp7A via Atox1, and finally transferred into the phagosome by Atp7A to create a bactericidal environment rich in copper. To counter copper stress, MctB and CtpV are upregulated to excrete excess copper. MMAR_0267, as the copper uptake protein on the membrane, plays a crucial role in macrophage bactericidal activity. Deficiency of MMAR_0267 enhances the intracellular survival of M. marinum in the phagosome, while reducing secretion of the virulence factor CFP-10, leading to suppressed TBK1 phosphorylation and inhibited cellular apoptosis.

Back to article page