{
  "abstract": "Copper (Cu) exerts potent antibacterial activity and contributes to mammalian immune defense. Although solvent exposed 4Fe-4S clusters in cytoplasmic dehydrogenases are major intracellular targets of Cu, its chemical reactivity and subcellular distribution suggest that additional cellular processes may be vulnerable to Cu toxicity. Here, we identify c-type cytochrome biogenesis as a conserved target of Cu excess across diverse pathogenic and environmental bacteria. Analysis of respiratory membrane complexes from pathogens, including Vibrio cholerae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, revealed pronounced and selective sensitivity of c-type cytochrome-containing complexes to excess Cu. In P. aeruginosa, elevated Cu impaired the cbb3-type cytochrome c oxidase and NapBC-containing cytochrome c complexes while largely sparing complexes independent of c-type cytochromes, including the aa3-type cytochrome c oxidase and succinate dehydrogenase. In contrast, the caa3-type cytochrome c oxidase of Bacillus subtilis, which contains a covalently bound cytochrome c subunit, was also severely affected. Cu likewise depleted c-type cytochromes in plant-associated and photosynthetic bacteria, indicating that this vulnerability is broadly conserved. Complementary analyses in B. subtilis and Escherichia coli showed that Cu primarily disrupts c-type cytochrome assembly rather than promoting the degradation of preassembled complexes. These findings establish c-type cytochrome-containing respiratory complexes as conserved targets of Cu toxicity. Given their central role in electron transport and adaptation to oxygen-limited environments, disruption of cytochrome c biogenesis may contribute to Cu antimicrobial activity and expose a potential vulnerability in pathogens that rely on c-type cytochromes for microaerobic respiration and colonization of hypoxic host tissues.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "CNRS"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "A. Durand"
    },
    {
      "name": "A.-S. Steunou"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. A. Khan"
    },
    {
      "name": "M.-L. Bourbon"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Cassier-Chauvat"
    },
    {
      "name": "F. Chauvat"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "S. Ouchane"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bcw8zcr39j695.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.17.759849",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.17.759849v1.full",
  "id": "bcw8zcr39j695",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.17.759849v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "microbiology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1311|Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222944003",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.17.759849v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-17",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bcw8zcr39j695.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:28:38Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.17.759849",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.17.759849v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:microbiology",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Copper-Mediated Antimicrobial Activity : Targeting Cytochrome c Complexes Across Bacterial Species",
  "title_text": "Copper-Mediated Antimicrobial Activity : Targeting Cytochrome c Complexes Across Bacterial Species",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:28:38Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bcw8zcr39j695",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}