Iron-regulated excretion of alpha-keto acids by Salmonella typhimurium

Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Incompatibility Group FIB Positive Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Isolates from Food Animal Sources

Salmonella enterica is one of the most common bacterial foodborne pathogens in the United States, causing illnesses that range from self-limiting gastroenteritis to more severe, life threatening invasive disease. Many Salmonella strains contain plasmids that carry virulence, antimicrobial resistance, and/or transfer genes which allow them to adapt to diverse environments, and these can include incompatibility group (Inc) FIB plasmids. This study was undertaken to evaluate the genomic and phenotypic characteristics of IncFIB-positive Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium isolates from food animal sources, to identify their plasmid content, assess antimicrobial resistance and virulence properties, and compare their genotypic isolates with more recently isolated S. Typhimurium isolates from food animal sources. Methods: We identified 71 S. Typhimurium isolates that carried IncFIB plasmids. These isolates were subjected to whole genome sequencing and evaluated for bacteriocin production, antimicrobial susceptibility, the ability to transfer resistance plasmids, and a subset was evaluated for their ability to invade and persist in intestinal human epithelial cells. Results: Approximately 30% of isolates (n = 21) displayed bacteriocin inhibition of Escherichia coli strain J53. Bioinformatic analyses using PlasmidFinder software confirmed that all isolates contained IncFIB plasmids along with multiple other plasmid replicon types. Comparative analyses showed that all strains carried multiple antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence factors including iron acquisition genes, such as iucABCD (75%), iutA (94%), sitABCD (76%) and sitAB (100%). In 17 cases (71%), IncFIB plasmids, along with other plasmid replicon types, were able to conjugally transfer antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes to the susceptible recipient strain. For ten strains, persistence cell counts (27%) were noted to be significantly higher than invasion bacterial cell counts. When the genome sequences of the study isolates collected from 1998–2003 were compared to those published from subsequent years (2005–2018), overlapping genotypes were found, indicating the perseverance of IncFIB positive strains in food animal populations. This study confirms that IncFIB plasmids can play a potential role in disseminating antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes amongst bacteria from several food animal species.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia produces an EntC-dependent catecholate siderophore that is distinct from enterobactin

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a Gram-negative, multi-drug-resistant bacterium, is increasingly recognized as a key opportunistic pathogen. Thus, we embarked upon an investigation of S. maltophilia iron acquisition. To begin, we determined that the genome of strain K279a is predicted to encode a complete siderophore system, including a biosynthesis pathway, an outer-membrane receptor for ferrisiderophore, and other import and export machinery. Compatible with these data, K279a and other clinical isolates of S. maltophilia secreted a siderophore-like activity when grown at 25-37 °C in low-iron media, as demonstrated by a chrome azurol S assay, which detects iron chelation, and Arnow and Rioux assays, which detect catecholate structures. Importantly, these supernatants rescued the growth of iron-starved S. maltophilia, documenting the presence of a biologically active siderophore. A mutation in one of the predicted biosynthesis genes (entC) abolished production of the siderophore and impaired bacterial growth in low-iron conditions. Inactivation of the putative receptor gene (fepA) prevented the utilization of siderophore-containing supernatants for growth in low-iron conditions. Although the biosynthesis and import loci showed some similarity to those of enterobactin, a well-known catecholate made by enteric bacteria, the siderophore of K279a was unable to rescue the growth of an enterobactin-utilizing indicator strain, and conversely iron-starved S. maltophilia could not use purified enterobactin. Furthermore, the S. maltophilia siderophore displayed patterns of solubility in organic compounds and mobility upon thin-layer chromatography that were distinct from those of enterobactin and its derivative, salmochelin. Together, these data demonstrate that S. maltophilia secretes a novel catecholate siderophore.

Proteus mirabilis and Urinary Tract Infections

Proteus mirabilis is a Gram-negative bacterium and is well known for its ability to robustly swarm across surfaces in a striking bulls'-eye pattern. Clinically, this organism is most frequently a pathogen of the urinary tract, particularly in patients undergoing long-term catheterization. This review covers P. mirabilis with a focus on urinary tract infections (UTI), including disease models, vaccine development efforts, and clinical perspectives. Flagella-mediated motility, both swimming and swarming, is a central facet of this organism. The regulation of this complex process and its contribution to virulence is discussed, along with the type VI-secretion system-dependent intra-strain competition, which occurs during swarming. P. mirabilis uses a diverse set of virulence factors to access and colonize the host urinary tract, including urease and stone formation, fimbriae and other adhesins, iron and zinc acquisition, proteases and toxins, biofilm formation, and regulation of pathogenesis. While significant advances in this field have been made, challenges remain to combatting complicated UTI and deciphering P. mirabilis pathogenesis.

Nutritional iron turned inside out: intestinal stress from a gut microbial perspective

Iron is abundantly present on earth, essential for most microorganisms and crucial for human health. Human iron deficiency that is nevertheless highly prevalent in developing regions of the world can be effectively treated by oral iron administration. Accumulating evidence indicates that excess of unabsorbed iron that enters the colonic lumen causes unwanted side effects at the intestinal host-microbiota interface. The chemical properties of iron, the luminal environment and host iron withdrawal mechanisms, especially during inflammation, can turn the intestine in a rather stressful milieu. Certain pathogenic enteric bacteria can, however, deal with this stress at the expense of other members of the gut microbiota, while their virulence also seems to be stimulated in an iron-rich intestinal environment. This review covers the multifaceted aspects of nutritional iron stress with respect to growth, composition, metabolism and pathogenicity of the gut microbiota in relation to human health. We aim to present an unpreceded view on the dynamic effects and impact of oral iron administration on intestinal host-microbiota interactions to provide leads for future research and other applications.

Iron homeostasis in the Rhodobacter genus

Metals are utilized for a variety of critical cellular functions and are essential for survival. However cells are faced with the conundrum of needing metals coupled with e fact that some metals, iron in particular are toxic if present in excess. Maintaining metal homeostasis is therefore of critical importance to cells. In this review we have systematically analyzed sequenced genomes of three members of the Rhodobacter genus, R. capsulatus SB1003, R. sphaeroides 2.4.1 and R. ferroxidans SW2 to determine how these species undertake iron homeostasis. We focused our analysis on elemental ferrous and ferric iron uptake genes as well as genes involved in the utilization of iron from heme. We also discuss how Rhodobacter species manage iron toxicity through export and sequestration of iron. Finally we discuss the various putative strategies set up by these Rhodobacter species to regulate iron homeostasis and the potential novel means of regulation. Overall, this genomic analysis highlights surprisingly diverse features involved in iron homeostasis in the Rhodobacter genus.

Iron acquisition: a novel perspective on mucormycosis pathogenesis and treatment

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Mucormycosis is an increasingly common fungal infection with an unacceptably high mortality despite first-line antifungal therapy. Iron acquisition is a critical step in the causative organisms' pathogenetic mechanism. Therefore, abrogation of fungal iron acquisition is a promising therapeutic strategy to impact clinical outcomes for this deadly disease.

RECENT FINDINGS

The increased risk of mucormycosis in patients with renal failure receiving deferoxamine iron chelation therapy is explained by the fact that deferoxamine actually acts as a siderophore for the agents of mucormycosis, supplying previously unavailable iron to the fungi. The iron liberated from deferoxamine is likely transported into the fungus by the high-affinity iron permease. In contrast, two other iron chelators, deferiprone and deferasirox, do not supply iron to the fungus and were shown to be cidal against Zygomycetes in vitro. Further, both iron chelators were shown to effectively treat mucormycosis in animal models, and one has been successfully used as salvage therapy for a patient with rhinocerebral mucormycosis.

SUMMARY

Further investigation and development of iron chelators as adjunctive therapy for mucormycosis is warranted.

Biosynthesis and IroC-dependent export of the siderophore salmochelin are essential for virulence of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

In response to iron deprivation, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium secretes two catecholate-type siderophores, enterobactin and its glucosylated derivative salmochelin. Although the systems responsible for enterobactin synthesis and acquisition are well characterized, the mechanisms of salmochelin secretion and acquisition, as well as its role in Salmonella virulence, are incompletely understood. Herein we show by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of culture supernatants from wild type and isogenic mutant bacterial strains that the Major Facilitator Superfamily pump EntS is the major exporter of enterobactin and the ABC transporter IroC exports both salmochelin and enterobactin. Growth promotion experiments demonstrate that IroC is not required for utilization of Fe-enterobactin or Fe-salmochelin, as had been previously suggested, but the ABC transporter protein FepD is required for utilization of both siderophores. Salmonella mutants deficient in salmochelin synthesis or secretion exhibit reduced virulence during systemic infection of mice.

Effect of norepinephrine on colonisation and systemic spread of Salmonella enterica in infected animals: role of catecholate siderophore precursors and degradation products

Norepinephrine promotes the growth of Salmonella enterica in vitro in iron-restricted conditions imposed by the iron-binding proteins serum transferrin and egg-white ovotransferrin by facilitating the release of bound iron and subsequent uptake by the bacteria. Moreover, significantly increased colonisation and systemic spread were observed in mouse and chicken models of S. enterica infection following pre-treatment of animals with norepinephrine. Both ent and tonB mutants showed no growth promotion by norepinephrine either in liquid medium containing serum or on plates containing hens' egg-white, indicating that the process is dependent both on the ability to synthesise enterobactin and on TonB-dependent uptake of iron. An entS mutant (formerly designated ybdA) and an iroB mutant behaved as wild type in both assays, showing that neither secretion of enterobactin nor conversion of enterobactin to salmochelin S4 is necessary for the effect. On the other hand, the presence of mutations in fes or iroD resulted in loss of growth promotion by norepinephrine in both assays. Since the fes and iroD genes encode enzymes that hydrolyse enterobactin and salmochelin S4 respectively to monomers, these data suggest that excretion of monomeric forms of these siderophores may be important for the uptake of iron released by norepinephrine from transferrin or ovotransferrin. A similar pattern of behaviour was observed with S. enterica serovar Typhimurium in a mouse model of infection; treatment of animals with norepinephrine before intragastric challenge resulted in increased intestinal colonisation and systemic spread of both wild-type and entS mutant strains, while the fes mutant was significantly attenuated in vivo. This suggests that excretion of 2,3-dihydroxybenzoylserine may be essential for norepinephrine-dependent growth promotion in the iron-restricted environment of the infected host. Unlike the situation in vitro, however, tonB mutants of S. enterica serovars Typhimurium and Enteritidis behaved the same as wild type in mouse and chick infection models, respectively, suggesting that norepinephrine-dependent growth stimulation may also occur by TonB-independent uptake of the enterobactin precursor 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid.

Growth stimulation of Brevibacterium sp. by siderophores

AIMS

To assess which types of siderophores are typically produced by Brevibacterium and how siderophore production and utilization traits are distributed within this genus.

METHODS AND RESULTS

During co-cultivation experiments it was found that growth of B. linens Br5 was stimulated by B. linens NIZO B1410 by two orders of magnitude. The stimulation was caused by the production of hydroxamate siderophores by B. linens NIZO B1410 that enabled the siderophore-auxotrophic strain Br5 to grow faster under the applied iron-limited growth conditions. Different patterns of siderophore production and utilization were observed within the genus Brevibacterium. These patterns did not reflect the phylogenetic relations within the group as determined by partial 16S rDNA sequencing. Most Brevibacterium strains were found to utilize hydroxamate siderophores.

CONCLUSIONS

Brevibacteria can produce and utilize siderophores although certain strains within this genus are siderophore-auxotrophic.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

It is reported for the first time that brevibacteria produce and utilize siderophores. This knowledge can be utilized to stimulate growth of auxotrophic strains under certain conditions. Enhancing the growth rate of Brevibacterium is of importance for the application of this species, for example, for cheese manufacturing or for industrial production of enzymes or metabolites.

Iron acquisition systems for ferric hydroxamates, haemin and haemoglobin in Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacterium that causes severe opportunistic infections in humans and animals. We biochemically characterized, for the first time, the iron uptake processes of this facultative intracellular pathogen, and identified the genetic loci encoding two of its membrane iron transporters. Strain EGD-e used iron complexes of hydroxamates (ferrichrome and ferrichrome A, ferrioxamine B), catecholates (ferric enterobactin, ferric corynebactin) and eukaryotic binding proteins (transferrin, lactoferrin, ferritin, haemoglobin). Quantitative determinations showed 10-100-fold lower affinity for ferric siderophores (Km approximately 1-10 nM) than Gram-negative bacteria, and generally lower uptake rates. Vmax for [59Fe]-enterobactin (0.15 pMol per 10(9) cells per minute) was 400-fold lower than that of Escherichia coli. For [59Fe]-corynebactin, Vmax was also low (1.2 pMol per 10(9) cells per minute), but EGD-e transported [59Fe]-apoferrichrome similarly to E. coli (Vmax=24 pMol per 10(9) cells per minute). L. monocytogenes encodes potential Fur-regulated iron transporters at 2.031 Mb (the fur-fhu region), 2.184 Mb (the feo region), 2.27 Mb (the srtB region) and 2.499 Mb (designated hupDGC region). Chromosomal deletions in the fur-fhu and hupDGC regions diminished iron uptake from ferric hydroxamates and haemin/haemoglobin respectively. In the former locus, deletion of fhuD (lmo1959) or fhuC (lmo1960) strongly reduced [59Fe]-apoferrichrome uptake. Deletion of hupC (lmo2429) eliminated the uptake of haemin and haemoglobin, and decreased the virulence of L. monocytogenes 50-fold in mice. Elimination of srtB region genes (Deltalmo2185, Deltalmo2186, Deltalmo2183), both sortase structural genes (DeltasrtB, DeltasrtA, DeltasrtAB), fur and feoB did not impair iron transport. However, deletion of bacterioferritin (Deltafri, lmo943; 0.97 Mb) decreased growth and altered iron uptake: Vmax of [59Fe]-corynebactin transport tripled in this strain, whereas that of [59Fe]-apoferrichrome decreased 20-fold.

Iron gathering of opportunistic pathogenic fungi. A mini review

Iron is an essential nutrient for most organisms because it serves as a catalytic cofactor in oxidation-reduction reactions. Iron is rather unavailable because it occurs in its insoluble ferric form in oxides and hydroxides, while in serum of mammalian hosts is highly bound to carrier proteins such as transferrin, so the free iron concentration is extremely low insufficient for microbial growth. Therefore, many organisms have developed different iron-scavenging systems for solubilizing ferric iron and transporting it into cells across the fungal membrane. There are three major mechanisms by which fungi can obtain iron from the host: (a) utilization of a high affinity iron permease to transport iron intracellularly, (b) production and secretion of low molecular weight iron-specific chelators (siderophores), (c) utilization of a hem oxygenase to acquire iron from hemin. Patients with elevated levels of available serum iron treated with iron chelator, deferoxamine to remedy iron overload conditions have an increased susceptibility of invasive zygomycosis. Presumably deferoxamine predisposes patients to Zygomycetes infections by acting as a siderophore]. The frequency of zygomycosis is increasing in recent years and these infections respond very poorly to currently available antifungal agents, so new approaches to develop strategies to prevent and treat zygomycosis are urgently needed. Siderophores and iron-transport proteins have been suggested to function as virulence factors because the acquisition of iron is a crucial pathogenetic event. Biosynthesis and uptake of siderophores represent possible targets for antifungal therapy.

Protection in a mouse peritonitis model mediated by iron-regulated outer-membrane protein of Salmonella typhi coupled to its Vi antigen

Vi polysaccharide and iron-regulated outer-membrane proteins (IROMPs) were extracted and purified from the standard strain of Salmonella typhi, Ty2. These were then conjugated by chemical coupling using the carbodimide method. Vi–IROMP conjugate was tested for its ability to protect against colonization by S. typhi in different organs. Mice immunized with 2.5 μg Vi–IROMP conjugate showed the most protection, as the least bacterial colonization of spleen, liver and Peyer's patches was observed. Peritoneal macrophages obtained from conjugate-treated mice phagocytosed bacteria efficiently. Circulating antibodies and the delayed type hypersensitivity response elucidated by mouse foot-pad swelling was significantly higher in conjugate-treated animals. These results clearly demonstrate that an IROMP and polysaccharide conjugate of S. typhi prepared from the same strain has the potential to protect animals against challenge.

Role of receptor proteins for enterobactin and 2,3-dihydroxybenzoylserine in virulence of Salmonella enterica

Single, double, and triple mutants of an enterobactin-deficient mutant strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium were constructed that were defective in the expression of the iron-regulated outer membrane proteins (IROMPs) FepA, IroN, and Cir, which are proposed to function as catecholate receptors. Uptake of naturally occurring and chemically synthesized catecholate molecules by these mutants was assessed in standard growth promotion assays. Unique patterns of uptake were identified for each IROMP; specifically, FepA and IroN were confirmed to be required for transport of enterobactin, and all three proteins were shown to function as receptors for the enterobactin breakdown product 2,3-dihydroxybenzoylserine. The fepA, iroN, and cir alleles were transduced to enterobactin-proficient strains of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium and S. enterica serovar Enteritidis, and the resulting phenotypes were confirmed by analysis of outer membrane protein profiles, by sensitivity to KP-736, a catecholate-cephalosporin conjugate, and by growth promotion tests on egg white agar. Intragastric infections of mice with the S. enterica serovar Typhimurium strains indicated that the parental strain and the fepA iroN double mutant were similarly virulent but that the fepA iroN cir triple mutant was significantly attenuated. Moreover, in mixed infections, the fepA iroN mutant showed similar cecal colonization and invasion of the liver to the parental strain, while the triple mutant showed significantly reduced cecal colonization and no measurable spread to the liver. Infections of 4-day-old chicks with S. enterica serovar Enteritidis strains also indicated that mutation of the fepA iroN genes did not significantly reduce cecal colonization and systemic spread compared with those of the parental strain. The results indicate that, while enterobactin uptake is not essential for the virulence of S. enterica serovars in mouse and chicken infection models, the ability to take up 2,3-dihydroxybenzoylserine via any of the three catecholate siderophore receptors appears to play an important role, since the S. enterica serovar Typhimurium triple mutant was significantly attenuated in the mouse model. Salmochelins appear not to be involved in the virulence of S. enterica.

Restricted growth of ent(-) and tonB mutants of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi in human Mono Mac 6 monocytic cells

Monocytes and macrophages are an important host defense in humans infected with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. Bacterial ability to survive in these cells is therefore a crucial virulence characteristic of this pathogen. In this study, we demonstrate that growth of a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi enterochelin synthesis mutant and a tonB mutant in the human monocyte cell line Mono Mac 6 is restricted compared to that of the parental wild-type Ty2 strain. These results suggest that enterochelin- and TonB-mediated iron uptake plays a role in S. enterica serovar Typhi pathogenesis, and also suggest that mutations in iron uptake may attenuate S. enterica serovar Typhi strains for human beings.

Iron metabolism in pathogenic bacteria

The ability of pathogens to obtain iron from transferrins, ferritin, hemoglobin, and other iron-containing proteins of their host is central to whether they live or die. To combat invading bacteria, animals go into an iron-withholding mode and also use a protein (Nramp1) to generate reactive oxygen species in an attempt to kill the pathogens. Some invading bacteria respond by producing specific iron chelators-siderophores-that remove the iron from the host sources. Other bacteria rely on direct contact with host iron proteins, either abstracting the iron at their surface or, as with heme, taking it up into the cytoplasm. The expression of a large number of genes (>40 in some cases) is directly controlled by the prevailing intracellular concentration of Fe(II) via its complexing to a regulatory protein (the Fur protein or equivalent). In this way, the biochemistry of the bacterial cell can accommodate the challenges from the host. Agents that interfere with bacterial iron metabolism may prove extremely valuable for chemotherapy of diseases.

The mammalian neuroendocrine hormone norepinephrine supplies iron for bacterial growth in the presence of transferrin or lactoferrin

Norepinephrine stimulates the growth of a range of bacterial species in nutritionally poor SAPI minimal salts medium containing 30% serum. Addition of size-fractionated serum components to SAPI medium indicated that transferrin was required for norepinephrine stimulation of growth of Escherichia coli. Since bacteriostasis by serum is primarily due to the iron-withholding capacity of transferrin, we considered the possibility that norepinephrine can overcome this effect by supplying transferrin-bound iron for growth. Incubation with concentrations of norepinephrine that stimulated bacterial growth in serum-SAPI medium resulted in loss of bound iron from iron-saturated transferrin, as indicated by the appearance of monoferric and apo- isoforms upon electrophoresis in denaturing gels. Norepinephrine also caused the loss of iron from lactoferrin. The pharmacologically inactive metabolite norepinephrine 3-O-sulfate, by contrast, did not result in iron loss from transferrin or lactoferrin and did not stimulate bacterial growth in serum-SAPI medium. Norepinephrine formed stable complexes with transferrin, lactoferrin, and serum albumin. Norepinephrine-transferrin and norepinephrine-lactoferrin complexes, but not norepinephrine-apotransferrin or norepinephrine-albumin complexes, stimulated bacterial growth in serum-SAPI medium in the absence of additional norepinephrine. Norepinephrine-stimulated growth in medium containing (55)Fe complexed with transferrin or lactoferrin resulted in uptake of radioactivity by bacterial cells. Moreover, norepinephrine-stimulated growth in medium containing [(3)H]norepinephrine indicated concomitant uptake of norepinephrine. In each case, addition of excess iron did not affect growth but significantly reduced levels of radioactivity ((55)Fe or (3)H) associated with bacterial cells. A role for catecholamine-mediated iron supply in the pathophysiology of infectious diseases is proposed.

Oxygen requirement for the biosynthesis of the S-2-hydroxymyristate moiety in Salmonella typhimurium lipid A. Function of LpxO, A new Fe2+/alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase homologue

Lipid A molecules of certain Gram-negative bacteria, including Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, may contain secondary S-2-hydroxyacyl chains. S. typhimurium has recently been shown to synthesize its S-2-hydroxymyristate-modified lipid A in a PhoP/PhoQ-dependent manner, suggesting a possible role for the 2-OH group in pathogenesis. We postulated that 2-hydroxylation might be catalyzed by a novel dioxygenase. Lipid A was extracted from a PhoP-constitutive mutant of S. typhimurium grown in the presence or absence of O(2). Under anaerobic conditions, no 2-hydroxymyristate-containing lipid A was formed. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry of lipid A from cells grown in the presence of (18)O(2) confirmed the direct incorporation of molecular oxygen into 2-hydroxyacyl-modified lipid A. Using several well characterized dioxygenase protein sequences as probes, tBLASTn searches revealed unassigned open reading frame(s) with similarity to mammalian aspartyl/asparaginyl beta-hydroxylases in bacteria known to make 2-hydroxyacylated lipid A molecules. The S. typhimurium aspartyl/asparaginyl beta-hydroxylase homologue (designated lpxO) was cloned into pBluescriptSK and expressed in Escherichia coli K-12, which does not contain lpxO. Analysis of the resulting construct revealed that lpxO expression is sufficient to induce O(2)-dependent formation of 2-hydroxymyristate-modified lipid A in E. coli. LpxO very likely is a novel Fe(2+)/alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase that catalyzes the hydroxylation of lipid A (or of a key precursor). The S. typhimurium lpxO gene encodes a polypeptide of 302 amino acids with predicted membrane-anchoring sequences at both ends. We hypothesize that 2-hydroxymyristate chains released from lipopolysaccharide inside infected macrophages might be converted to 2-hydroxymyristoyl coenzyme A, a well characterized, potent inhibitor of protein N-myristoyl transferase.

Metabolic defects caused by mutations in the isc gene cluster in Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium: implications for thiamine synthesis

The metabolic consequences of two insertions, iscR1::MudJ and iscA2::MudJ, in the isc gene cluster of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium were studied. Each of these insertions had polar effects and caused a nutritional requirement for the thiazole moiety of thiamine. Data showed that IscS was required for the synthesis of nicotinic acid and the thiazole moiety of thiamine and that one or more additional isc gene products were required for a distinct step in the thiazole biosynthetic pathway. Strains with isc lesions had reduced succinate dehydrogenase and aconitase activities. Furthermore, isc mutants accumulated increased levels of pyruvate in the growth medium in response to exogenously added iron (FeCl(3)), and this response required a functional ferric uptake regulator, Fur.

The putative iron transport system SitABCD encoded on SPI1 is required for full virulence of Salmonella typhimurium

Salmonella typhimurium is an invasive pathogen that causes diseases ranging from mild gastroenteritis to enteric fever. During the infection process, S. typhimurium induces a number of virulence genes required to circumvent host defences and/or acquire nutrients in the host. We have used the in vivo expression technology (IVET) system to select for S. typhimurium genes that are induced after invasion of a murine cultured cell line. We have characterized a putative iron transporter in Salmonella pathogenicity island 1, termed sitABCD. The sitABCD operon is induced under iron-deficient conditions in vitro and is repressed by Fur. This locus is induced in the animal specifically after invasion of the intestinal epithelium. We show that a sit null mutant is significantly attenuated in BALB/c mice, suggesting that SitABCD plays an important role in iron acquisition in the animal.

Mechanism of iron transport to the site of heme synthesis inside yeast mitochondria

The import of metals, iron in particular, into mitochondria is poorly understood. Iron in mitochondria is required for the biosynthesis of heme and various iron-sulfur proteins. We have developed an in vitro assay to follow the uptake of iron into isolated yeast mitochondria. By measuring the incorporation of iron into porphyrin by ferrochelatase in the matrix, we were able to define the mechanism of iron import. Iron uptake is driven energetically by a membrane potential across the inner membrane but does not require ATP. Only reduced iron is functional in generating heme. Iron cannot be preloaded in the mitochondrial matrix but rather has to be transported across the inner membrane simultaneously with the synthesis of heme, suggesting that ferrochelatase receives iron directly from the inner membrane. Transport of iron is inhibited by manganese but not by zinc, nickel, and copper ions, explaining why in vivo these ions are not incorporated into porphyrin. The inner membrane proteins Mmt1p and Mmt2p proposed to be involved in mitochondrial iron movement are not required for the supply of ferrochelatase with iron. Iron transport can be reconstituted efficiently in a membrane potential-dependent fashion in proteoliposomes that were formed from a detergent extract of mitochondria. Our biochemical analysis of iron import into yeast mitochondria provides the basis for the identification of components involved in transport.

Acquisition, transport, and storage of iron by pathogenic fungi

Iron is required by most living systems. A great variety of means of acquisition, avenues of uptake, and methods of storage are used by pathogenic fungi to ensure a supply of the essential metal. Solubilization of insoluble iron polymers is the first step in iron assimilation. The two methods most commonly used by microorganisms for solubilization of iron are reduction and chelation. Reduction of ferric iron to ferrous iron by enzymatic or nonenzymatic means is a common mechanism among pathogenic yeasts. Under conditions of iron starvation, many fungi synthesize iron chelators known as siderophores. Two classes of compounds that function in iron gathering are commonly observed: hydroxamates and polycarboxylates. Two major responses to iron stress in fungi are a high-affinity ferric iron reductase and siderophore synthesis. Regulation of these two mechanisms at the molecular level has received attention. Uptake of siderophores is a diverse process, which varies among the different classes of compounds. Since free iron is toxic, it must be stored for further metabolic use. Polyphosphates, ferritins, and siderophores themselves have been described as storage molecules. The iron-gathering mechanisms used by a pathogen in an infected host are largely unknown and can only be posited on the basis of in vitro studies at present.

Salmonella typhimurium encodes a putative iron transport system within the centisome 63 pathogenicity island

Upon entry into the host, Salmonella enterica strains are presumed to encounter an iron-restricted environment. Consequently, these bacteria have evolved a variety of often-redundant high-affinity acquisition systems to obtain iron in this restricted environment. We have identified an iron transport system that is encoded within the centisome 63 pathogenicity island of Salmonella typhimurium. The nucleotide composition of this locus is significantly different from that of the rest of this pathogenicity island, suggesting a different ancestry and a mosaic structure for this region of the S. typhimurium chromosome. This locus, designated sit, consists of four open reading frames which encode polypeptides with extensive homology to the yfe ABC iron transport system of Yersinia pestis, as well as other ABC transporters. The sitA gene encodes a putative periplasmic binding protein, sitB encodes an ATP-binding protein, and sitC and sitD encode two putative permeases (integral membrane proteins). This operon is capable of complementing the growth defect of the enterobactin-deficient Escherichia coli strain SAB11 in iron-restricted minimal medium. Transcription of the sit operon is repressed under iron-rich growth conditions in a fur-dependent manner. Introduction of a sitBCD deletion into wild-type S. typhimurium resulted in no apparent growth defect in either nutrient-rich or minimal medium and no measurable virulence phenotype. These results further support the existence of redundant iron uptake systems in S. enterica.

Identification of a human mitochondrial ABC transporter, the functional orthologue of yeast Atm1p

We have sequenced the entire coding region of the human ABC transporter ABC7. The protein represents a 'half-transporter' and displays high sequence similarity to the mouse ABC7 protein and to the mitochondrial ABC transporter Atm1p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. As shown by immunostaining using a specific antibody, the human ABC7 protein (hABC7) is a constituent of mitochondria. The N-terminus of hABC7 contains the information for targeting and import into the organelles. When synthesised in yeast cells defective in Atm1p (strain delta atm1/hABC7), hABC7 protein can revert the strong growth defect observed for delta atm1 cells to near wild-type behaviour. The known phenotypical consequences of inactivation of the ATM1 gene are almost fully amended by expression of hABC7 protein. delta atm1/hABC7 cells harbour wild-type levels of cytochromes and extra-mitochondrial heme-containing proteins, they contain normal levels of mitochondrial iron, and the cellular content of glutathione is substantially reduced relative to the high levels detected in delta atm1 cells. Our results suggest that hABC7 is a mitochondrial protein, and represents the functional orthologue of yeast Atm1p.

Accumulation of alpha-keto acids as essential components in cyanide assimilation by Pseudomonas fluorescens NCIMB 11764

Pyruvate (Pyr) and alpha-ketoglutarate (alphaKg) accumulated when cells of Pseudomonas fluorescens NCIMB 11764 were cultivated on growth-limiting amounts of ammonia or cyanide and were shown to be responsible for the nonenzymatic removal of cyanide from culture fluids as previously reported (J.-L. Chen and D. A. Kunz, FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 156:61-67, 1997). The accumulation of keto acids in the medium paralleled the increase in cyanide-removing activity, with maximal activity (760 micromol of cyanide removed min-1 ml of culture fluid-1) being recovered after 72 h of cultivation, at which time the keto acid concentration was 23 mM. The reaction products that formed between the biologically formed keto acids and cyanide were unambiguously identified as the corresponding cyanohydrins by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Both the Pyr and alpha-Kg cyanohydrins were further metabolized by cell extracts and served also as nitrogenous growth substrates. Radiotracer experiments showed that CO2 (and NH3) were formed as enzymatic conversion products, with the keto acid being regenerated as a coproduct. Evidence that the enzyme responsible for cyanohydrin conversion is cyanide oxygenase, which was shown previously to be required for cyanide utilization, is based on results showing that (i) conversion occurred only when extracts were induced for the enzyme, (ii) conversion was oxygen and reduced-pyridine nucleotide dependent, and (iii) a mutant strain defective in the enzyme was unable to grow when it was provided with the cyanohydrins as a growth substrate. Pyr and alphaKg were further shown to protect cells from cyanide poisoning, and excretion of the two was directly linked to utilization of cyanide as a growth substrate. The results provide the basis for a new mechanism of cyanide detoxification and assimilation in which keto acids play an essential role.

Quorum sensing in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium

Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium strains grown in Luria-Bertani medium containing glucose secrete a small soluble heat labile organic molecule that is involved in intercellular communication. The factor is not produced when the strains are grown in Luria-Bertani medium in the absence of glucose. Maximal secretion of the substance occurs in midexponential phase, and the extracellular activity is degraded as the glucose is depleted from the medium or by the onset of stationary phase. Destruction of the signaling molecule in stationary phase indicates that, in contrast to other quorum-sensing systems, quorum sensing in E. coli and S. typhimurium is critical for regulating behavior in the prestationary phase of growth. Our results further suggest that the signaling factor produced by E. coli and S. typhimurium is used to communicate both the cell density and the metabolic potential of the environment. Several laboratory and clinical strains of E. coli and S. typhimurium were screened for production of the signaling molecule, and most strains make it under conditions similar to those shown here for E. coli AB1157 and S. typhimurium LT2. However, we also show that E. coli strain DH5alpha does not make the soluble factor, indicating that this highly domesticated strain has lost the gene(s) or biosynthetic machinery necessary to produce the signaling substance. Implications for the involvement of quorum sensing in pathogenesis are discussed.