Old dogs, new tricks: New insights into the iron/manganese superoxide dismutase family.

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are ancient enzymes of widespread importance present in all domains of life. Many insights have been gained into these important enzymes over the 50 years since their initial description, but recent studies in the context of microbial pathogenesis have resulted in findings that challenge long established dogmas. The repertoire of SODs that bacterial pathogens encode is diverse both in number and in metal dependencies, including copper, copper and zinc, manganese, iron, and cambialistic enzymes.

Mobilization of vitamin B transporters alters competitive dynamics in a human gut microbe.

The functional and genomic diversity of the human gut microbiome is shaped by horizontal transfer of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Characterized MGEs can encode genes beneficial for their host's self-defense (e.g.

Intracellular Accumulation of Staphylopine Can Sensitize Staphylococcus aureus to Host-Imposed Zinc Starvation by Chelation-Independent Toxicity.

The host restricts the availability of zinc to prevent infection. To overcome this defense, and rely on zincophore-dependent zinc importers. Synthesis of the zincophore staphylopine by and its import are both necessary for the bacterium to cause infection.