TSPO safeguards porphyrin–iron balance under anoxic conditions in <i>Bacillus cereus</i>
, contributing to the proper functioning of the heme biosynthetic pathway and limiting the accumulation of toxic intermediates. Loss of BcTSPO triggers redox and nitrosative stress, ion dysregulation, and broad metabolic instability, highlighting its central role in maintaining cellular homeostasis during oxygen deprivation. These findings extend the physiological scope of bacterial TSPO beyond oxygen-dependent contexts and support the idea that its ancestral function lies in coordinating tetrapyrrole metabolism with intracellular iron use to sustain cellular resilience across diverse environmental conditions.
Authors
- Catherine Duport (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3570-0288)
- Jean Armengaud (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1589-445X)
- Caroline Schmitt
Institutions
- Inserm (FR)
- Université d'Avignon et des Pays de Vaucluse (FR)
- Université Paris Cité (FR)
- Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR)
- Université Paris-Saclay (FR)
- Hôpital Louis-Mourier (FR)
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR)
- Sorbonne Paris Cité (FR)
- Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (FR)
- Sécurité et Qualité des Produits d'Origine Végétale (FR)
- CEA Paris-Saclay (FR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- mSystems
- Published
- 2026-04-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1128/msystems.01738-25
- Primary Topic
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00