Full Copper Resistance in Cupriavidus metallidurans Requires the Interplay of Many Resistance Systems.

The metal-resistant bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans uses its copper resistance components to survive the synergistic toxicity of copper ions and gold complexes in auriferous soils. The , , , and determinants encode as central component the Cu(I)-exporting P-type ATPase CupA, the periplasmic Cu(I)-oxidase CopA, the transenvelope efflux system CusCBA, and the Gig system with unknown function, respectively. The interplay of these systems with each other and with glutathione (GSH) was analyzed. Copper resistance in single and multiple mutants up to the quintuple mutant was characterized in dose-response curves, Live/Dead-staining, and atomic copper and glutathione content of the cells. The regulation of the and determinants was studied using reporter gene fusions and in case of also RT-PCR studies, which verified the operon structure of . All five systems contributed to copper resistance in the order of importance: Cup, Cop, Cus, GSH, and Gig. Only Cup was able to increase copper resistance of the Δ quintuple mutant but the other systems were required to increase copper resistance of the Δ quadruple mutant to the parent level. Removal of the Cop system resulted in a clear decrease of copper resistance in most strain backgrounds. Cus cooperated with and partially substituted Cop. Gig and GSH cooperated with Cop, Cus, and Cup. Copper resistance is thus the result of an interplay of many systems. The ability of bacteria to maintain homeostasis of the essential-but-toxic "Janus"-faced element copper is important for their survival in many natural environments but also in case of pathogenic bacteria in their respective host. The most important contributors to copper homeostasis have been identified in the last decades and comprise P-type ATPases, periplasmic copper- and oxygen-dependent copper oxidases, transenvelope efflux systems, and glutathione; however, it is not known how all these players interact. This publication investigates this interplay and describes copper homeostasis as a trait emerging from a network of interacting resistance systems.